California Lawmakers Propose 'Fix 911 Act' to Increase Transparency on Stalled Next Gen 911 Project

The new bill aims to mandate quarterly reporting and oversight on the costly and delayed overhaul of the state's aging emergency response system.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A newly proposed bill in the California state legislature, called the 'Fix 911 Act', aims to increase transparency and oversight around the state's troubled 'Next Generation 911' project, which has faced significant cost overruns and delays. The bill, introduced by State Senator Tony Strickland, would require the California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) to provide quarterly reports to lawmakers on the project's spending, timelines, and progress. The legislation comes after NBC Bay Area's Investigative Unit uncovered concerns about the project, including technological issues that threatened public safety in regions where the system first went online.

Why it matters

California's Next Gen 911 project is a massive, multi-year effort to modernize the state's aging emergency response system, but it has been plagued by cost overruns, delays, and technological problems. The 'Fix 911 Act' seeks to bring more accountability and transparency to the project, which has already cost nearly $500 million but is still years away from completion.

The details

The 'Fix 911 Act', proposed by State Senator Tony Strickland (R - Huntington Beach), would mandate that the California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) file quarterly reports with the state legislature, keeping lawmakers apprised of Next Gen 911 spending, timelines, and progress. The bill also 'opens the question' of whether it's appropriate for the agency to fund the project through higher 911 phone fees. State leaders originally predicted the Next Gen 911 project could be completed by 2021, but more than four years past that projected finish line, and nearly $500 million already spent, the system appears far from complete.

  • The Next Gen 911 project was originally predicted to be completed by 2021.
  • As of 2026, more than four years past the original projected finish line, nearly $500 million has already been spent on the project.

The players

Tony Strickland

A Republican state senator from Huntington Beach who introduced the 'Fix 911 Act' to increase transparency on California's troubled Next Gen 911 project.

California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES)

The state agency overseeing the Next Gen 911 project, which has faced significant cost overruns and delays.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Where did that $500 million go? You can't just scrap it and go, 'oops,' and move on. We as legislators need to go after waste, fraud, and abuse, because every wasted dollar from the legislature and the governor is a dollar they're not spending on a valuable program.”

— Tony Strickland, State Senator (nbcbayarea.com)

“This bill clearly brings back accountability. The legislature needs to hold the governor and the administration accountable when they waste dollars.”

— Tony Strickland, State Senator (nbcbayarea.com)

“Smart, thoughtful changes are necessary. We hope that you see we are committed to not only the success of the project, but open, transparent communication.”

— Lisa Mangat, Former Cal OES Chief Deputy Director (nbcbayarea.com)

What’s next

The 'Fix 911 Act' has been proposed in the California state legislature and will need to go through the legislative process before potentially becoming law.

The takeaway

The 'Fix 911 Act' aims to bring more accountability and transparency to California's troubled Next Gen 911 project, which has faced significant cost overruns and delays in modernizing the state's aging emergency response system. The bill would require quarterly reporting to the legislature on the project's spending, timelines, and progress, in an effort to prevent further waste of taxpayer dollars.