SB438 Summary: Statewide 911 Service Reform

• Creates statewide 911 Board replacing the Commercial Mobile Radio Service Board effective October 1, 2012, comprised of 13 members appointed by the Governor reflecting racial, gender, geographic, and economic diversity of the state.

• Establishes unified statewide 911 charge collected monthly from all voice communications service connections (wireline, wireless, and VoIP) to replace existing separate district and wireless charges, with revenues deposited into a single 911 Fund.

• Distributes revenues to local districts with 80% allocated based on historical baseline amounts and per capita distribution formula, while 20% of CMRS funds reserved for reimbursement to wireless carriers for Phase II Enhanced 911 compliance costs.

• Creates Permanent Oversight Commission on 911 to study operational and financial conditions of 911 systems, recommend wireline rate adjustments (frozen until recommendations made), and develop long-term consolidation and modernization plan, with initial report due before end of 2012 legislative session.

• Implements new prepaid wireless charge collection procedures requiring sellers to collect the 911 charge at point of sale with 4% retention fee for sellers and 2% administrative fee retained by Department of Revenue.