Section 24-33.5-2509 - Interoperable communications among public safety radio systems - statewide plan - regional plans - governmental immunity - needs assessment(1)(a) The executive director shall exercise the powers, duties, and functions regarding the tactical and long-term interoperable communications plan, adopted by each region pursuant to former section 24-33.5-716, as that section existed on June 30, 2023, to improve communications among public safety agencies in the region and with public safety agencies of other regions, the state and federal governments, and other states. The plans shall include measures to create and periodically test interoperability interfaces, provisions for training on communications systems and exercises on the implementation of the plan, a strategy for integrating with the state digital trunked radio system, deadlines for implementation, and other elements required by the executive director. Each region shall submit revised plans as they are updated to the director of the office.(b) Each local government agency or private entity that operates a public safety radio system shall collaborate in the development and, as necessary, periodic revision of the tactical and long-term interoperable communications plan of the region in which it is located. Such tactical plans, and revisions thereto, shall be submitted to the director of the office.(c) A region that fails to timely submit a tactical and long-term interoperable communications plan or revisions thereto, or a local government agency that fails to collaborate in the development of or timely submit the plan, or a region or local government agency that fails to maintain current plans, is ineligible to receive homeland security or public safety grant money administered by the department of local affairs, department of public safety, or department of public health and environment until the region submits a plan to the director of the office.(2) A public safety agency shall not expend money received through the department on a mobile data communications system unless the system is capable of interoperable communications.(3) The executive director shall not require a public safety agency to acquire the communications equipment of a particular manufacturer or provider as a condition of awarding grant money administered by the department.(4) A public safety agency or an employee of a public safety agency acting in collaboration with another agency or person to create and operate an interoperable communications system has the same degree of immunity under the "Colorado Governmental Immunity Act", article 10 of this title 24, as the public safety agency or employee would have if not acting in collaboration with another agency or person.Added by 2022 Ch. 479, § 3, eff. 7/1/2023.