What is Kari’s Law?
In 2013, Kari Hunt was killed by her estranged husband in a motel room in Marshall, Texas. Her daughter attempted to call 911 four times, but her calls never went through because the motel’s phone system required dialing “9” before all calls to secure an outbound phone line. Thus, Kari’s Law was created to honor Kari’s memory and ensure that anyone can reach a 911 call center when dialing 911 from a Multi-Line Telephone System (MLTS).
Kari’s Law went into effect on February 16, 2020, requiring MLTS vendors and manufacturers to configure new phone systems to support direct dialing 911. The system must also notify a central location on or off-site, such as a front desk or security kiosk. The notification will alert that a 911 call was placed and include a callback number and the caller’s location.
Under this law, all outbound dialing MLTS must provide direct access to 911 service without requiring the caller to dial an initial number, digit, prefix, or other access code before dialing 911. In addition, Kari’s Law specifically applies to 911 access and notification of a 911 call to a central location on the site of the facilities where a call is placed and to an optional additional location per rule 251.15.
Am I Affected by Kari’s Law?
Kari’s Law impacts any company that provides MLTS service and enterprises of any size using an MLTS. This can include companies with multiple office locations, campuses, hospitals, hotels, retail facilities, and financial institutions.
How Do I Know If I’m Kari’s Law Compliant?
The National 911 Program with the FCC has developed user-friendly tools to provide the following:
- An overview of legislation
- Detailed lists of state laws, FCC rules and terms
- Compliance rules and deadlines
- Interactive checklists to track progress toward compliance
Additional Resources
For more information on Kari’s Law, visit the following:
- Kari’s Law Act of 2017
- FCC’s MLTS 911 Requirements
- Check out our post on Ray Baum’s Act here
