APCO International

APCO’s Advocacy Priorities for 2024

jeff — Fri, 16 Feb 2024 18:37:03 +0000

Today, February 16, is the 56th anniversary of the first 9-1-1 call. Much has changed in the past 56 years, particularly with regard to training, technology, and the nature of the work performed by 9-1-1 professionals. What has remained constant is the dedication, professionalism, and perseverance of the 9-1-1 community and APCO’s commitment to ensuring 9-1-1 professionals have the tools and resources they need. APCO’s legislative and regulatory priorities reflect this devotion to its members and are aimed at advancing the industry and empowering 9-1-1 to save more lives.

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More Information than You Ever Wanted about Fixing the Federal Classification of 9-1-1 Professionals

jeff — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 15:40:55 +0000

For all the complexity of our campaign to fix an obscure federal data system, it really boils down to the fact that 9-1-1 professionals perform lifesaving work, and labeling them as “administrative” personnel is ridiculous. The 9-1-1 SAVES Act has been reintroduced. You might be asking members of Congress to co-sponsor the bill and explaining why congressional action is needed. Thus, it’s time for a deep dive on correcting the federal classification of 9-1-1 professionals. Even for those who have been following the issue closely, there’s likely new information here that will be of interest.

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APCO’s Regulatory Priorities for 2023

jeff — Thu, 23 Feb 2023 21:52:17 +0000

The following is a list of APCO’s regulatory priorities for the coming year. As a general matter, APCO’s advocacy is driven by the best interests of our public safety members. That means we’re often arguing for a regulatory approach that: avoids shifting costs from service providers to ECCs; ensures that information being delivered to ECCs will best serve the operational needs of 9-1-1 professionals; and when it comes to spectrum, protects public safety users from interference and new costs.

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APCO’s 2023 Advocacy Priorities (with one-pagers of talking points)

jeff — Thu, 16 Feb 2023 21:23:18 +0000

During the prior session of Congress, APCO made substantial progress on its legislative goals, including coming closer than ever to securing significant federal funding for Next Generation 9‑1‑1. With the start of a new Congress, legislation APCO had been championing will need to be reintroduced, and we’ll seek to build upon the momentum to get these bills passed into law. This blog describes APCO’s legislative priorities, APCO’s efforts, and next steps.

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Regulatory Update from APCO’s Chief Counsel at APCO 2022

jeff — Mon, 15 Aug 2022 17:05:32 +0000

On August 7, during APCO's Annual Conference, Chief Counsel, Jeff Cohen, provided the following report on APCO's advocacy efforts at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

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Talking Points for APCO’s Legislative Priorities

jeff — Wed, 09 Mar 2022 21:49:10 +0000

APCO members often contact us to ask for talking points to prepare for meetings with their U.S. Senators and Representatives. Having accurate talking points to speak from – or leave with the congressional staffers you meet with – can ensure that you use your meeting time efficiently and are prepared to answer key questions about the issues. Following up on the blog describing APCO’s advocacy priorities for 2022, here are talking points for our top legislative issues: 1) securing federal funding for Next Generation 9-1-1; 2) correcting the federal classification of public safety telecommunicators; and 3) funding health and wellness programs for 9-1-1 professionals.

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APCO International’s Public Safety Communications Priorities for the New Year

jeff — Thu, 27 Jan 2022 16:45:42 +0000

The following is a list of our advocacy priorities for the coming year. Despite much progress and several wins that APCO members should be proud of since we announced our 2021 legislative and regulatory priorities, there is still significant work to be done for public safety communications.

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Welcome to the New APCO International Website!

Lauren Larson — Mon, 30 Aug 2021 15:55:34 +0000

800 MHz Expansion Band Considerations

Lauren Larson — Sat, 28 Aug 2021 18:51:46 +0000

Aligning APCO’s Advocacy Priorities With Our Members’ Needs

jeff — Thu, 24 Jun 2021 17:17:51 +0000

Back in January, we posted a blog outlining our top legislative and regulatory priorities for 2021. Now that we are six months into the year, and with APCO’s Annual Conference right around the corner, we’re writing to reflect on the “why” behind our advocacy. APCO is driven by the needs of its public safety membership.

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