Kari's Law To Be Implemented In Howard County

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — Kari Hunt was killed by her estranged husband in 2013 in a Texas motel room. Her 9-year-old daughter tried to dial 911 during the attack, but the motel phone required a user to dial "9" to reach an outside line. Her call for help never went through.

This tragedy led federal legislators to create Kari's Law, which requires all organizations and businesses that use a multi-line telephone system to provide direct access to 911.

On Tuesday, Howard County Executive Calvin Ball launched a public awareness campaign about Kari's Law. Ball was instrumental in implementing Kari's Law on the local level. In 2020, the Howard County Council passed Bill 59, an act requiring that all multi-line telephone systems allow for the direct dialing of 911.

The Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services and the Howard County Police Department will collaborate to educate businesses on Kari’s Law.

“Support and education for businesses is a critical component to ensure that Kari’s Law is put into action,” Ball said at a news conference. “We’re grateful to our police and fire and rescue departments for their collaboration and initiative to make sure businesses and organizations are compliant and our residents and community have this vital access to 911.”

“It is critical that the dispatchers in our 911 Center receive every emergency call, every time,” Howard County Police Chief Lisa Myers said at the news conference. “With full implementation of Kari’s Law, our residents and visitors should have the reassurance of knowing that their calls to police or fire personnel from any location in Howard County will be heard and will generate a quick response.”

Howard County Fire Chief William Anuszewski said Kari's Law may be new to some businesses.

"Our code enforcement team will provide the education needed to prepare them for future inspections. Our goal is to ensure that anyone who needs emergency services has immediate and direct access to the 911 system,” Anuszewski said.

Beginning in April 2021, the HCDFRS Office of the Fire Marshal will distribute Kari’s Law flyers to educate businesses visited during regularly scheduled inspections. If businesses are not in compliance after the initial year of education, a fine of $100 will be issued and $200 for every day thereafter that they're not in compliance.