People want to know that when there is an emergency, 911 will be there to answer the call.
“My passion for 911 began when my friend, Carl Henn, died in a freak thunderstorm and 911 was overloaded and they couldn’t get someone to answer the phone and send help,” said State Sen. Cheryl Kagan (D-District 17). “Ultimately, there have been three people in my district who have died when 911 has failed.”
Kagan, who represents Gaithersburg and Rockville, thinks part of the solution to alleviating 911 system overloads lies with 311, a non-emergency information and request line. Her bipartisan bill to create the United States’ first-ever statewide 311 service that operates 24-hours per day, seven days per week was recently signed into law by Gov. Wes Moore.
It will be powered by artificial intelligence.
According to a 2025 report from Montgomery County police, the average answer time for 911 calls in the county was 12 seconds last year, compared to 10 seconds in 2023 and 2024.
The plan is to offer a 24/7 line for non-emergencies for everyone across Maryland, leaving 911 lines more open for true emergencies and helping people across different languages and abilities navigate what can feel like a complicated bureaucracy.
Maryland’s 311 line is expected to debut next year.
Next steps include choosing a vendor and developing an AI chatbot and voice bot. Also, there will be a marketing campaign so people hear about it and know to use the service.
Some Maryland counties, including Montgomery County, already have their own 311 customer service center. The statewide service will supplement, not replace, where 311 exists now.
The statewide 311 system will cost at least $1 million annually starting in fiscal year 2027 for staffing and establishing the 311 program according to the bill’s fiscal and policy note. It will be interoperable with the 911 system, the suicide and crisis 988 hotline, and the 211 system.
Kagan thinks other states will follow Maryland.
