Kari’s Law Takes a Step Forward in Austin

AUSTIN — A bill inspired by an East Texas tragedy won passage Thursday morning in the Texas Senate and will now move to the House. According to KETK, Tyler State Senator Kevin Eltife’s Senate Bill 788, also known as Kari’s Law, calls for hotels and businesses to eliminate the need to dial 9 to reach an outside line when making 911 calls. In December of 2013, Kari Hunt, a mother of three, was stabbed to death by her estranged husband in a Marshall hotel room. Her nine-year-old daughter tried to dial 911 but didn’t know she had to dial 9 to reach an outside line. The measure will now go to the House floor where Representative Chris Paddie of Marshall says it will get to legislators as early as next week.