State Sen. Cheryl Kagan (D-District 17) testified Tuesday on her bipartisan bill to create the nation’s first statewide 311 system powered by artificial intelligence to lighten the load on 911 centers.
A Maryland House Committee will vote on the bill.
Three people died in her district when 911 failed, said Kagan, who represents Gaithersburg and Rockville, She made her speech during a hearing before the House Government, Labor, and Elections committee in Annapolis.
Why 311 Now?
Kagan wants to create a statewide 311 so 911 can have more time to answer emergencies instead of non-emergency matters. She said 911 centers are “chronically understaffed and overworked.”
311 is for non-emergency government information and service requests, like questions about trash and recycling, maintenance requests, and housing complaints.
Kagan acknowledged “Artificial intelligence is both exciting and scary, I think, to many of us.”
“We don’t know what the future’s going to bring, but this is a great use of artificial intelligence,” Kagan said. “It makes creating a statewide 311 possible and affordable and accurate.”
Cost of Service
The statewide 311 system would cost $1 million, a very reasonable price according to Kagan.
She noted the “tight fiscal times” but thinks it is a good investment that will make a difference in peoples’ lives.
“Everyone would have access to 311, whether it’s through phone, through website, through an app, we’re going to be working to make it fully accessible regardless of your language, your age, your abilities or disabilities. It would be available to anyone.”
According to the bill’s fiscal and policy note, it will cost at least $1 million annually starting in fiscal year 2027 for staffing and establishing the 311 program.
There is no cost to counties, Kagan said.
Combines with Existing Services
It would be interoperable with the 911 system, the suicide and crisis 988 hotline, and the 211 system.
Some counties, like Montgomery County, already have their own 311 customer service center. This would supplement, not replace, where 311 exists now.
Montgomery County also has a 311 online chatbot “Monty 2.0,” powered by ChatGPT AI.
