After hotel room murder, bill lets callers direct-dial 911
ST. PAUL, Minn. (KMSP) - Senator Amy Klobuchar is advocating for a bill that would require multi-line telephone system manufacturers to let callers reach emergency personnel by dialing 911 without a number before or after it.
The bipartisan legislation dubbed "Kari's Law" cites the murder of a mother in a Texas hotel room in 2013. Kari Hunt was murdered by her husband after her 9-year-old daughter dialed 911 but couldn’t reach police because she didn’t dial the required “9” first to reach an outside line.
U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) reported consumers could not directly dial 911 in 44.5 percent of hotel franchises and 32 percent of independent hotels in March 2014, but since then, hotels and manufacturers have voluntarily worked toward a solution, including the American Hotel and Lodging Association.
Kari’s Law was first introduced in the House of Representatives in December 3, 2015.
Klobuchar will join law enforcement and advocates at the Saint Paul Hotel to discuss the legislation Monday afternoon.