house Bill H.R. 582
Kari's Law: Making it Easier to Call 911 From a Hotel Room
Argument in favor
Calling emergency services should be as simple as possible. Children — and panicking adults — should be able to pick up the nearest phone and dial 911, without any extra digits.
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01/22/2017
Yes! Absolutely! If it saves one life, I'd say it's worth it. So would you, if the life it saved was yours or a loved one's.
01/23/2017
Seems pretty self explanatory. If one is in a panic and needs to contact emergency services, one probably isn't going to realize that one needs to dial an extra number before 911. We've been conditioned since childhood that no matter what the numbers are 911, so why not make it a reality?
01/23/2017
The argument that free market economics should correct this issue without government intervention is off base. While many hotels and establishments already enable calling 911 without an extra digit, some don't and wouldn't have a reason to if they hadn't already. This bill also directs phone manufacturers and suppliers to enable such systems where they might not already. This bill will save lives and won't restrict free market economics in the process so should be a no brainer
Argument opposed
The intentions of this bill are noble, but hotels should introduce these upgrades themselves — without taking up precious Congressional voting time that should be spent on more pressing issues.
01/23/2017
It's actually a great idea. But here's the thing about great ideas - they don't need to be mandated. How about everyone who thinks this is a good idea only does business with hotels that do this? I bet the others will catch on very quickly. Look! No law required! Good ideas don't require force.
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01/23/2017
Hotels and similar business should already have these features in place without having it mandated by the government.
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01/23/2017
People - we don't need congress for this. Just individually boycott hotels that don't provide this service if u want.
Yes! Absolutely! If it saves one life, I'd say it's worth it. So would you, if the life it saved was yours or a loved one's.
It's actually a great idea. But here's the thing about great ideas - they don't need to be mandated. How about everyone who thinks this is a good idea only does business with hotels that do this? I bet the others will catch on very quickly. Look! No law required! Good ideas don't require force.
Seems pretty self explanatory. If one is in a panic and needs to contact emergency services, one probably isn't going to realize that one needs to dial an extra number before 911. We've been conditioned since childhood that no matter what the numbers are 911, so why not make it a reality?
Hotels and similar business should already have these features in place without having it mandated by the government.
People - we don't need congress for this. Just individually boycott hotels that don't provide this service if u want.
The argument that free market economics should correct this issue without government intervention is off base. While many hotels and establishments already enable calling 911 without an extra digit, some don't and wouldn't have a reason to if they hadn't already. This bill also directs phone manufacturers and suppliers to enable such systems where they might not already. This bill will save lives and won't restrict free market economics in the process so should be a no brainer
This is a common sense change for public safety that I strongly support.
Extra dial out numbers increases the risk of not being able to call for assistance in an emergency.
A call for help should not be made more difficult than necessary.
The faster you can get emergency services to you the better chance you have. Every second counts!
I think this is important but not something that needs a law regulating it. I get nervous about over regulation and I'd like to stay focused on more big picture items.
This only makes sense on the war against human trafficking.
Encourage hotels to make this change themselves, without mandating it.
911 & e911 services need to be updated, period. It shouldn't take horror stories or tragedies to get us to enact common sense updates to the system. You, too, could need 911/e911's services in your life.
This makes sense. I am surprised the hotel companies have not already complied prior to this bill being introduced
This is a major safety need! If younger children have to call 911 for their parent(s), they won't know to dial an extra number. During a true emergency, you run on autopilot, 911 is everyone's automatic response (without adding a number to get out of the house system).
Creating a national mandate and ensuring consistency across all means of telephonic communication is a common sense, low hanging fruit, that can help enhance individual and civil safety. This is a no-brainer, common sense, good bill that helps the American citizen and foreign tourists alike.