Montana Code 10-4-306. 9-1-1 grants
10-4-306. 9-1-1 grants. (1) The department shall, in consultation with the 9-1-1 advisory council created pursuant to 10-4-105, award competitive grants annually using the account established pursuant to 10-4-304(2)(b) for private telecommunications providers and for local and tribal government entities that host public safety answering points. Beginning July 1, 2018, grants must be awarded to private telecommunications providers or to local or tribal government entities that host public safety answering points or to all in accordance with this section and with rules adopted by the department in accordance with 10-4-108.
Terms Used In Montana Code 10-4-306
- Department: means the department of justice provided for in Title 2, chapter 15, part 20. See Montana Code 10-4-101
- Provider: means a public utility, a cooperative telephone company, a wireless provider, a provider of interconnected voice over IP service, a provider of exchange access services, or any other entity that provides access lines. See Montana Code 10-4-101
- Public safety answering point: means a communications facility operated on a 24-hour basis that first receives emergency communications from persons requesting emergency services and that may, as appropriate, directly dispatch emergency services or transfer or relay the emergency communications to appropriate public safety agencies. See Montana Code 10-4-101
- Tribal government: has the meaning provided in 2-15-141. See Montana Code 10-4-101
(2)In accordance with subsection (3), grants may be awarded to private telecommunications providers and to local or tribal government entities that host public safety answering points for:
(a)emergency telecommunications systems plans;
(b)project feasibility studies or project plans;
(c)the implementation, operation, and maintenance of 9-1-1 systems, equipment, devices, and data; and
(d)the purchase of services that support 9-1-1 systems.
(3)In awarding grants, preference must be given to applications in the following order of priority:
(a)requests by private telecommunications providers or by local or tribal government entities that host public safety answering points by working with a private telecommunications provider; and
(b)requests by local or tribal government entities that host public safety answering points.
(4)Nothing in this section prevents a local or tribal government entity that hosts a public safety answering point in accordance with this section from:
(a)providing grant money received by the local or tribal government entity to a private telecommunications provider for 9-1-1 purposes; or
(b)collaborating with another local or tribal government entity on a joint grant application.