Wed., March 16, 2011 5:51pm (EDT)

Proposed Bill to Send 9-1-1 Fees Back to Local Communities
By Rickey Bevington
Updated: 2 years ago

ATLANTA  —  
Image courtesy of: commons.wikimedia.org
Image courtesy of: commons.wikimedia.org
A bill that would send 9-1-1 fees back to local communities has a chance to pass this legislative session. The House approved the measure Monday.

It applies to a $1.50 monthly charge to pre-paid cell phones. Under the bill, the fees would not go to the state’s general fund. Instead, the money funnels back to local governments.

Communities would use the funds to upgrade emergency call centers. In 2009, the state estimated the fees totaled nearly $16 million dollars a year.

The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration.