Proposal would require verification of alarms

Taylor

ATLANTA — In an effort to conserve the resources of emergency personnel, alarm companies would be required to use “alarm verification” under a bill pre-filed in the state House.

The proposal, filed Thursday by state Rep. Tom Taylor, R-Dunwoody, defines alarm verification as a “reasonable attempt by an alarm monitoring company to contact the alarm site or alarm user, by telephone or other electronic means, to determine whether a burglar alarm signal is valid prior to requesting law enforcement to be dispatched to the location.”

If the alarm cannot be verified, the law stipulates that a second attempt “utilizing a different telephone number or electronic address or number” be made. No verification is required “in the case of a panic or robbery-in-progress alarm or in cases where a crime-in-progress has been verified to be true by video or audible means.”

The measure is House Bill 687. If approved as is, the measure would take effect July 1.

The bill does not stipulate any penalties for companies that do not comply with the proposed verification requirement.