43.17.230 - Emergency information telephone services -- Accessibility from all phones required -- Charges. - Washington Statutes

Emergency information telephone services — Accessibility from all phones required — Charges.

(1) The legislature finds that when the state provides emergency information by telephone to citizens that is of a critical nature, such as road or weather hazards, the information should be accessible from all residential, commercial, and coin-operated telephones. Information such as road and weather conditions should be available to all persons traveling within the state whether they own a telephone in this state or not.

     (2) If an agency or department of the state makes emergency information services available by telephone, the agency or department shall ensure that the telephone line is accessible from all coin-operated telephones in this state by both the use of coins and the use of a telephone credit card.

     (3) A state agency that provides an emergency information service by telephone may establish charges to recover the cost of those services. However, an agency charging for the service shall not price it at a profit to create excess revenue for the agency. The agency shall do a total cost-benefit analysis of the available methods of providing the service and shall adopt the method that provides the service at the lowest cost to the user and the agency.

     (4) "Emergency information services," as used in this section, includes information on road and weather conditions.

[1986 c 45 § 1.]