GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 1999

SESSION LAW 1999-429
SENATE BILL 255

AN ACT TO CLARIFY STATE LAW REQUIRING STATE AGENCIES TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF MENUS ON AUTOMATED PHONE SYSTEMS, TO REQUIRE ALL STATE AGENCIES TO INCLUDE THE AGENCY TELEPHONE NUMBER ON AGENCY LETTERHEAD, AND TO REQUIRE STATE AGENCIES TO REPORT ON THEIR COMPLIANCE WITH THIS ACT.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

Section 1.  Section 2 of S.L. 1997-351 reads as rewritten:
"Section 2.  State agency telephone systems routing calls to multiple extensions shall be reprogrammed by September 1, 1997, to minimize the number of menus that a caller must go through to reach the desired extension, and to allow the caller to reach an attendant or operator after accessing not more than two menus  during normal business hours. As used in this section, the term 'menu' refers to the first point in the call at which the caller is asked to choose from two or more options, regardless of whether that choice is referred to as a menu, router, or other term within the telephone industry itself.
This act shall be implemented by State agencies with existing personnel at no additional cost to the State."
Section 2.  All State agencies shall include the agency's telephone number or numbers in a prominent place on all agency letterhead.
Section 3.  Each State agency shall report in writing to the General Assembly by October 1, 1999, on that agency's compliance with the provisions of S.L. 1997-351, as amended by Section 1 of this act, and with the provisions of Section 2 of this act.  Each report shall be submitted to the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations. The report shall specifically state whether that agency's telephone system and letterhead is in compliance with the provisions of this act and, if not, shall state any reasons for that noncompliance.  The report shall also provide information on the volume of calls received by that agency and the number of attendants or operators available to take those calls.
Section 4.  This act is effective when it becomes law.  Section 2 of this act applies to all letterhead purchased or produced on or after September 1, 1999.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 14th day of July, 1999.

s/	Dennis A. Wicker
President of the Senate

s/	James B. Black
Speaker of the House of Representatives

s/	James B. Hunt, Jr.
Governor

Approved 10:48 p.m. this 5th day of August, 1999