What is Karis Law?

Kari’s Law ensures that anyone can reach a 911 call center when dialing 911 from an MLTS.

The law is named in honor of Kari Hunt, who was killed in a motel room by her estranged husband in 2013. Her daughter tried to call 911 four times, but the calls never went through because the motel’s phone system required dialing “9” before any call to secure an outbound phone line.

Under the statute, which went into effect on February 16, 2020, MLTS vendors and manufacturers must configure new systems to support direct dialing 911.

The system must also send a notification to a central location on- or off-site, such as a front desk or security kiosk.

The notification will provide an alert that a 911 call was placed, and include a callback number and information about the caller’s location.

What is RAY BAUM's ACT?

RAY BAUM’S Act emphasizes the importance of making dispatchable location information from all 911 calls available to PSAPs, regardless of the technological platform used.

The FCC states “dispatchable location means a location delivered to the public safety answering point (PSAP) with a 911 call that consists of the validated street address of the calling party, plus additional information such as suite, apartment or similar information.”

RAY BAUM’S Act requires that a “dispatchable location” is passed along with every 911 call to a PSAP/ECC, regardless of the technology platform.

This includes 911 calls from an MLTS. A dispatchable location means a validated street address of the person calling and additional information such as a room or floor number.

However, these rules do not apply to wireless providers who are subject to separate location accuracy requirements and benchmarks.