For purposes of this article, the following terms have the following meanings:

(a) “Backward compatibility” means that the equipment is able to function with older, existing equipment.

(b) “Committee” means the Public Safety Radio Strategic Planning Committee, that was established in December 1994 in recognition of the need to improve existing public radio systems and to develop interoperability among public safety departments and between state public safety departments and local or federal entities, and that consists of representatives of the following state entities:

(1) The Office of Emergency Services, who shall serve as chairperson.

(2) The Department of the California Highway Patrol.

(3) The Department of Transportation.

(4) The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

(5) The Department of Parks and Recreation.

(6) The Department of Fish and Wildlife.

(7) The Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

(8) The Department of Justice.

(9) The Department of Water Resources.

(10) The State Department of Public Health.

(11) The Emergency Medical Services Authority.

(12) The Department of Technology.

(13) The Military Department.

(14) The Department of Finance.

(c) “First response agencies” means public agencies that, in the early stages of an incident, are responsible for, among other things, the protection and preservation of life, property, evidence, and the environment, including, but not limited to, state fire agencies, state and local emergency medical services agencies, local sheriffs’ departments, municipal police departments, county and city fire departments, and police and fire protection districts.

(d) “Nonproprietary equipment or systems” means equipment or systems that are able to function with another manufacturer’s equipment or system regardless of type or design.

(e) “Open architecture” means a system that can accommodate equipment from various vendors because it is not a proprietary system.

(f) “Public safety radio subscriber” means the ultimate end user. Subscribers include individuals or organizations, including, for example, local police departments, fire departments, and other operators of a public safety radio system. Typical subscriber equipment includes end instruments, including mobile radios, hand-held radios, mobile repeaters, fixed repeaters, transmitters, or receivers that are interconnected to utilize assigned public safety communications frequencies.

(g) “Public safety spectrum” means the spectrum allocated by the Federal Communications Commission for operation of interoperable and general use radio communication systems for public safety purposes within the state.

(Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 28, Sec. 6. (SB 71) Effective June 27, 2013. Operative July 1, 2013, by Sec. 93 of Ch. 28.)