In 2013, Kari Rene Hunt was murdered by her estranged husband in a hotel room; When Kari’s 9-year-old daughter tried to dial 9-1-1 for help she could not reach emergency personnel because she did not dial “9” to reach an outside line
Kari’s Law will require manufacturers of multi-line telephone systems to create systems that allow callers to reach 9-1-1 without a prefix or postfix
WASHINGTON- U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Deb Fischer (R-NE) announced today that their bipartisan legislation to make contacting emergency personnel simpler and easier has been signed into law. In 2013, Kari Rene Hunt of Marshall, Texas, was murdered by her estranged husband in a hotel room. When Kari’s 9-year-old daughter tried to dial 9-1-1 for help, she could not reach emergency personnel because she did not dial “9” to reach an outside line. Kari’s Law will require the manufacturers of multi-line telephone systems (MLTS) to create systems that allow callers to reach 9-1-1 without dialing a prefix or postfix. The law will also require on-site notification to make it easier for first responders to locate 9-1-1 callers in large buildings. Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI), John Cornyn (R-TX), John Thune (R-SD), and Ted Cruz (R-TX) are original cosponsors of the legislation.
“No matter where you are, if you dial 9-1-1, you should always be connected to help,” Klobuchar said. “Kari’s Law is a simple measure, but one that will help make people safer and streamline the process of reaching first responders in emergency situations. I am hopeful that now no family will ever have to endure a tragedy like Kari’s again.”
“Since hearing the heartbreaking story of Kari Hunt’s death, Senator Klobuchar and I have been determined to help ensure Americans can directly access 911 during an emergency. I’m proud to see President Trump sign our bipartisan legislation into law today. A few precious seconds can save a life, and this bill will prevent tragedies like Kari’s from happening again,” Fischer said.
Kari’s Law builds on the progress of industry leaders like the American Hotel and Lodging Association to ensure that anyone dialing 9-1-1 on any phone can reach emergency personnel. It is another step forward in making sure dialing 9-1-1 to reach emergency personnel is as simple and easy as possible. As a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, Klobuchar has been a leader in pushing to expand and improve emergency communications infrastructure. Klobuchar joined Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) to introduce the Next-Generation 9-1-1 Act of 2017 to boost federal support for a rapid and effective transition to Next Generation 9-1-1 across the country.
###