HB 434-FN – AS INTRODUCED
2005 SESSION
05/01
HOUSE BILL 434-FN
AN ACT requiring state agencies using automated answering systems to provide a method of access to a human being.
SPONSORS: Rep. L. Elliott, Hills 1; Rep. Wall, Straf 7; Rep. P. Smith, Rock 3; Rep. Foster, Hills 4; Rep. King, Coos 1; Sen. Odell, Dist 8; Sen. Clegg, Dist 14
COMMITTEE: Executive Departments and Administration
This bill requires state agencies that use automated answering systems to provide a method of access to a human being during the agency’s business hours.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
05-0373
05/01
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Five
AN ACT requiring state agencies using automated answering systems to provide a method of access to a human being.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Section; Organization of Executive Branch; Use of Automatic Answering Systems. Amend RSA 21-G by inserting after section 20 the following new section:
21-G:20-a Use of Automatic Answering Systems. Any agency that uses an automatic answering system shall provide, in its first menu option, an opportunity for access to a human being during regular business hours. For purposes of this section, regular business hours mean the hours that the agency is otherwise open to the public.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
LBAO
05-0373
12/14/04
HB 434-FN - FISCAL NOTE
AN ACT requiring state agencies using automated answering systems to provide a method of access to a human being.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Department of Administrative Services states this bill will increase state general fund expenditures by $45,780 in FY 2005. There will be no fiscal impact on state, county, and local revenue or county and local expenditures.
METHODOLOGY:
The Department states this bill will require agencies that use automated answering systems to provide the caller an opportunity to access a human being during regular business hours. The Department made the following assumptions when determining the fiscal impact of this legislation:
• that adequate manpower is available to accept telephone calls;
• state vendors will be used to perform programming work;
• transfer to attendant programming costs will be included in the cost of new applications;
• basic answering machines are not covered by this bill;
• agency equipment programming updates will require two hours of labor to complete; and
• all costs will be one-time in FY 2005, unless office operations require modification.
The estimated fiscal impact is as follows: Total
Type of Automated Cost Per Upgrade
Call Handling Equipment Quantity Upgrade Cost
Estimated Locations with Agency
Owned Equipment 213 $140 $29,820
Centrex Call Processors 24 $ 50 1,200
Centrex Voice Mail 1,476 $ 10 14,760
Total One-time Costs $45,780