If your business has a multi-line phone system — and most NJ businesses do — federal law now requires it to meet specific 911 emergency standards. These requirements come from two federal laws: Kari's Law and Section 506 of RAY BAUM's Act. Non-compliance isn't just a technical issue — it's a legal liability.
Here's what you need to know, in plain language.
What is Kari's Law?
Kari's Law is named after Kari Hunt, who was killed in a Texas motel room in 2013. Her 9-year-old daughter tried to call 911 four times from the room phone — but couldn't get through because the motel's phone system required dialing "9" first to reach an outside line. She didn't know that. Help never came in time.
Congress passed Kari's Law in 2018 to make sure this never happens again. The FCC enacted implementing rules in 2019 that went into effect in 2020.
Kari's Law requires that any multi-line phone system (MLTS) allow users to dial 911 directly — without any prefix, code, or outside line access code. No "9 first." No extra steps. Just dial 911.
What is RAY BAUM's Act?
RAY BAUM's Act adds another critical requirement: when someone calls 911 from your business phone system, the call must include a dispatchable location — meaning not just your street address, but specific information like the floor, room, or suite number where the caller is located.
Think about it: if someone calls 911 from the 4th floor conference room of a large office building, emergency responders need to know exactly where to go — not just the building address.
Does this apply to my business?
If your business uses a multi-line phone system — whether it's on-premise, cloud-based, VoIP, or hosted — these rules likely apply to you. This includes:
- Office phone systems with multiple extensions
- Hotel phone systems
- Hospital and healthcare facility phones
- School and campus phone systems
- Any business with more than one phone line connected to a central system
- Currently, hosted site systems fail to comply
What does Novacom recommend?
The first step is a compliance audit. Novacom's NJ-licensed technicians can visit your site, assess your current phone system, and tell you exactly where you stand — at no cost to you.
If your system needs to be updated, Novacom can install a fully compliant Avaya IP phone system that meets all Kari's Law and RAY BAUM's Act requirements, including direct 911 dialing, on-site notification, and dispatchable location delivery.
Always ask your phone vendor to confirm their compliance with Kari's Law and RAY BAUM's Act — and ask to see their NJ state licenses. Novacom holds all required licenses and will show them proudly. Specifically, your system must allow calls to 911 if the internet is disabled.
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