Georgia HB 578: Public utilities; $1.50 increase in monthly 9-1-1 charge assessed by local governments; provide

Bill Text

25 LC 56 0324
House Bill 578
By: Representatives Cheokas of the 151
st, Greene of the 154
th, Cannon of the 172
nd, Smith
of the 18
th, Mathis of the 133
rd, and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Part 4 of Article 2 of Chapter 5 of Title 46 of the Official Code of Georgia1
Annotated, relating to emergency telephone number 9-1-1 system, so as to provide for a2
$1.50 increase in the monthly 9-1-1 charge assessed by local governments; to provide for a3
$1.50 increase in the monthly wireless enhanced 9-1-1 charge assessed by local4
governments; to provide for a $1.50 increase in the prepaid 9-1-1 charge assessed by local5
governments; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other6
purposes.7
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:8
SECTION 1.9
Part 4 of Article 2 of Chapter 5 of Title 46 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,10
relating to emergency telephone number 9-1-1 system, is amended in Code Section 46-5-134,11
relating to billing of subscribers, liability of subscriber for service charge, taxes on service,12
establishment of Emergency Telephone System Fund, cost recovery fee, records, and use of13
funds, by revising subsection (a) as follows:14
"(a)(1)(A)(i) Unless exempt, the telephone subscriber of any telephone service shall15
be billed for the monthly 9-1-1 charge, if any, imposed with respect to such telephone16
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service by the service supplier. Beginning on July 1, 2025, such 9-1-1 charge shall17
be $3.00 Such 9-1-1 charge shall be $1.50 per month per telephone service provided18
to the telephone subscriber except as reduced pursuant to paragraph (4) of subsection19
(d) of this Code section.20
(ii) In computing the amount due under this subsection, the number of 9-1-1 charges21
a telephone subscriber shall be assessed shall not exceed the number of simultaneous22
outbound calls that can be made from voice channels the service supplier has23
activated and enabled. For telephone service that provides to multiple locations24
shared simultaneous outbound voice channel capacity configured to and capable of25
accessing a 9-1-1 system in different states, the monthly 9-1-1 charge shall be26
assessed only for the portion of such shared voice channel capacity in this state as27
identified by the service supplier's books and records. In determining the portion of28
shared capacity in this state, a service supplier may rely on, among other factors, a29
customer's certification of its allocation of capacity in this state, which may be based30
on each end user location, the total number of end users, and the number of end users31
at each end user location.32
(B) All telephone services billed to federal, state, or local governments shall be exempt33
from the 9-1-1 charge. Each service supplier shall, on behalf of the local government,34
collect the 9-1-1 charge from those telephone subscribers to whom it provides35
telephone service in the area served by the emergency 9-1-1 system. As part of its36
normal billing process, the service supplier shall collect the 9-1-1 charge for each37
month a telephone service is in service, and it shall list the 9-1-1 charge as a separate38
entry on each bill. Nothing in this Code section shall be construed to require a service39
supplier to list the 9-1-1 charge as a surcharge or separate entry on each bill. Service40
suppliers that do not list the 9-1-1 charge as a separate entry on each bill shall remit the41
9-1-1 charge for each telephone subscriber that pays the bill; provided, however, that42
this information shall be maintained in a form auditors can access. If a service supplier43
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receives a partial payment for a bill from a telephone subscriber, the service supplier44
shall apply the payment against the amount the telephone subscriber owes the service45
supplier first.46
(C) This paragraph shall not apply to wireless service or prepaid wireless service or the47
telephone subscribers or service suppliers of such services.48
(2)(A) If the governing body of a local government operates or contracts for the49
operation of a public safety answering point that is capable of providing or provides50
automatic number identification of a wireless telecommunications connection and the51
location of the base station or cell site which receives a 9-1-1 call from a wireless52
telecommunications connection, the subscriber of a wireless telecommunications53
connection whose place of primary use is within the geographic area that is served by54
the local government or that would be served by the local government for the purpose55
of such a public safety answering point may be billed for the monthly wireless56
enhanced 9-1-1 charge, if any, imposed with respect to that connection by the wireless57
service supplier. Beginning on July 1, 2025, such wireless enhanced 9-1-1 charge shall58
be $3.00 Such wireless enhanced 9-1-1 charge shall be $1.50 per month per wireless59
teleco