2005 Missouri Revised Statutes - § 577.105. — Telephone calls on party lines during emergencies--priority--penalty.

577.105. 1. "Party line", as used in this section, means a subscriber's line telephone circuit, consisting of two or more main telephone stations connected therewith, each station with a distinctive ring or telephone number. "Emergency", as used in this section, means a situation in which property or human life are in jeopardy and the prompt summoning of aid is essential.

2. Any person who willfully refuses to immediately relinquish a party line when informed that the line is needed for an emergency call to a fire department or law enforcement official or for medical aid or ambulance service, or any person who secures the use of a party line by falsely stating that the line is needed for an emergency call, is guilty of a misdemeanor.

3. Every telephone directory hereafter distributed to the members of the general public in this state or in any portion thereof which lists the calling numbers of telephones of any telephone exchange located in this state shall contain a notice which explains the offense provided for in this section, the notice to be preceded by the word "warning"; provided, that the provisions of this section shall not apply to those directories distributed solely for business advertising purposes, commonly known as classified directories, nor to any telephone directory heretofore distributed to the general public. Any person, firm or corporation providing telephone service which distributes or causes to be distributed in the state copies of a telephone directory which is subject to the provisions of this section and which do not contain the notice herein provided for is guilty of a misdemeanor.

(L. 1963 p. 682 §§ 1, 2, 3)

*Transferred 1978; formerly 560.313