Fall 2003-06 Bill to require 911 access from
Number 53
Fall 2003
Bill to require 911 access from
automatic teller machines
If Senate Bill 2351 becomes law, owners and operators of automatic teller machines in Puerto Rico would have to provide telephone access to emergency number 911 from each machine.
Criminal acts
The reason for the measure, as pointed out in the bill itself, is the large number of criminal acts that take place in the vicinity of automatic teller machines, particularly affecting persons using them. “The installation of the 911 on ATHs [ sic] will allow customers object of criminal activity while using such facilities an immediate access to emergency calls to report the criminal act.”
The bill orders the Commissioner of Financial Institutions to require banks and other financial institutions that provide “ATH [ sic] machine service” to install a keyboard to access the 911 emergency number.
Signs
Each machine must also exhibit a sign warning that the improper use of the system for false alarms, jokes or obscene calls constitutes a misdemeanor that could result in imprisonment.
‡‡ Note:
The bill refers throughout to “ATH” machines. ATH is the trade name of the automatic teller machine network owned by Banco Popular de Puerto Rico. Would other networks be exempt from compliance if the bill becomes law?