§2927. E-9-1-1 funding
1. Statewide E-9-1-1 surcharge.
[
1993, c. 566, §9 (NEW);
MRSA T. 25, §2927, sub-§7 (RP)
.]
1-A. Statewide E-9-1-1 surcharge.
[
1997, c. 409, §1 (AMD);
MRSA T. 25, §2927, sub-§7-A (RP)
.]
1-B. Statewide E-9-1-1 surcharge.
[
2009, c. 617, §13 (AFF);
2009, c. 617, §7 (RP)
.]
1-C. Statewide E-9-1-1 surcharge; prepaid wireless service.
[
2009, c. 400, §15 (AFF);
2009, c. 400, §7 (RP)
.]
1-D. Funding.
The activities authorized under this chapter are funded through:
A. The statewide E-9-1-1 surcharge under subsection 1-E levied on:
(1) Each residential and business telephone exchange line, including private branch
exchange lines and Centrex lines;
(2) Semipublic coin and public access lines;
(3) Customers of interconnected voice over Internet protocol service; and
(4) Customers of cellular or wireless telecommunications service that is not prepaid
wireless telecommunications service; and [2009, c. 400, §8 (NEW); 2009, c. 400, §15 (AFF).]
B. The statewide prepaid wireless E-9-1-1 surcharge under subsection 1-F levied on prepaid
wireless telecommunications service consumers. [2009, c. 400, §8 (NEW); 2009, c. 400, §15 (AFF).]
[
2009, c. 400, §8 (NEW);
2009, c. 400, §15 (AFF)
.]
1-E. Statewide E-9-1-1 surcharge.
The statewide E-9-1-1 surcharge is governed by this subsection.
A. The statewide E-9-1-1 surcharge is 37¢ per month per line or number. Beginning July 1, 2010, the statewide E-9-1-1 surcharge is 45¢ per month per line
or number. The statewide E-9-1-1 surcharge may not be imposed on more than 25 lines or numbers
per customer billing account. [2009, c. 617, §8 (AMD); 2009, c. 617, §13 (AFF).]
B. The statewide E-9-1-1 surcharge must be collected from the customer according to subsection
1-D, paragraph A on a monthly basis by each local exchange telephone utility, cellular
or wireless telecommunications service provider and interconnected voice over Internet
protocol service provider and be shown separately as a statewide E-9-1-1 surcharge
on the customer's bill. [2009, c. 400, §9 (NEW); 2009, c. 400, §15 (AFF).]
C. The place of residence of cellular or wireless telecommunications service customers
who are not prepaid wireless telecommunications service consumers must be determined
according to the sourcing rules for mobile telecommunications services as set forth
in Title 36, section 2556. [2009, c. 400, §9 (NEW); 2009, c. 400, §15 (AFF).]
[
2009, c. 617, §8 (AMD);
2009, c. 617, §13 (AFF)
.]
1-F. Statewide prepaid wireless telecommunications service E-9-1-1 surcharge.
The statewide prepaid wireless telecommunications service E-9-1-1 surcharge, referred
to in this subsection as "the prepaid wireless E-9-1-1 surcharge," is governed by
this subsection.
A. The prepaid wireless E-9-1-1 surcharge is 37¢ per retail transaction. Beginning July 1, 2010, the prepaid wireless E-9-1-1 surcharge is 45¢ per retail transaction. [2009, c. 617, §9 (AMD); 2009, c. 617, §13 (AFF).]
B. [2011, c. 600, §10 (AFF); 2011, c. 600, §1 (RP).]
C. [2011, c. 600, §10 (AFF); 2011, c. 600, §1 (RP).]
D. [2011, c. 600, §10 (AFF); 2011, c. 600, §1 (RP).]
E. [2011, c. 600, §10 (AFF); 2011, c. 600, §1 (RP).]
F. [2011, c. 600, §10 (AFF); 2011, c. 600, §1 (RP).]
G. [2011, c. 600, §10 (AFF); 2011, c. 600, §1 (RP).]
H. [2011, c. 600, §10 (AFF); 2011, c. 600, §1 (RP).]
I. [2011, c. 600, §10 (AFF); 2011, c. 600, §1 (RP).]
J. [2011, c. 600, §10 (AFF); 2011, c. 600, §1 (RP).]
[
2011, c. 600, §1 (AMD);
2011, c. 600, §10 (AFF)
.]
1-G. E-9-1-1 funding obligation; limitation.
The statewide E-9-1-1 surcharge imposed by subsection 1-E and the prepaid wireless
E-9-1-1 surcharge imposed by subsection 1-F are the only E-9-1-1 funding obligations
imposed with respect to telecommunications services in this State, and another tax,
fee, surcharge or other charge may not be imposed by this State, any political subdivision
of this State or any intergovernmental agency for funding E-9-1-1 purposes on any
telecommunications service with respect to the sale, purchase, use or provision of
that telecommunications service.
[
2009, c. 400, §11 (NEW);
2009, c. 400, §15 (AFF)
.]
2. Surcharge remittance.
[
1993, c. 566, §9 (NEW);
MRSA T. 25, §2927, sub-§7 (RP)
.]
2-A. Surcharge remittance.
[
1997, c. 409, §1 (AMD);
MRSA T. 25, §2927, sub-§7-A (RP)
.]
2-B. Surcharge remittance.
Each local exchange telephone utility, cellular or wireless telecommunications service
provider and interconnected voice over Internet protocol service provider shall remit
the statewide E-9-1-1 surcharge revenues collected from its customers pursuant to
subsection 1-D on a monthly basis and within one month of the month collected, except that a utility or provider whose average monthly surcharge remittance payment
for the prior calendar year is less than $5,000 shall remit the E-9-1-1 surcharge
revenues on a quarterly basis, to the Treasurer of State for deposit in a separate account known as the E-9-1-1
fund. Each telephone utility or service provider required to remit statewide E-9-1-1
surcharge revenues shall provide, on a form approved by the bureau, supporting data,
including but not limited to the following:
A. The calculation used to arrive at the surcharge remittance amount; [2001, c. 439, Pt. EEEE, §7 (NEW).]
B. The calculation used to arrive at the uncollectible amount of surcharge; [2001, c. 439, Pt. EEEE, §7 (NEW).]
C. The total surcharge; [2001, c. 439, Pt. EEEE, §7 (NEW).]
D. The month and year or the quarter and year for which surcharge is remitted; [2013, c. 119, §4 (AMD).]
E. The legal name of company and telephone number and, if applicable, the parent company
name, address and telephone number; and [2001, c. 439, Pt. EEEE, §7 (NEW).]
F. The preparer's name and telephone number. [2001, c. 439, Pt. EEEE, §7 (NEW).]
Prepaid wireless E-9-1-1 surcharges collected by sellers must be remitted to the State
Tax Assessor in accordance with Title 35-A, section 7104-C.
[
2013, c. 119, §4 (AMD)
.]
3. Expenditure of funds.
The bureau may use the revenues in the E-9-1-1 fund to fund staff and to defray
costs associated with the implementation, operation and management of E-9-1-1, including the deployment of E-9-1-1 service using emerging communications technologies,
including, but not limited to, Internet protocol enabled services, that are capable
of connecting users to public safety answering points, and may transfer funds to the Other Special Revenue Funds, Emergency Medical Services account
within the Department of Public Safety to defray the costs, including necessary staffing
costs, of the Emergency Medical Services' Board in implementing the requirements of
Title 32, section 85-A. The bureau, to the extent it determines sufficient funds
are available in the E-9-1-1 fund, shall use revenues in the E-9-1-1 fund to reimburse
local exchange carriers and cellular and wireless telecommunications service providers
for eligible expenses incurred by the carriers and service providers. For purposes
of this subsection, the term "eligible expenses" means expenses:
A. Incurred in preparing, correcting, verifying or updating subscriber information for
use in databases necessary to implement the E-9-1-1 system; [2003, c. 194, §1 (AMD).]
B. Determined by the Public Utilities Commission to meet the requirements of paragraph
A and to be reasonable expenses for the services provided; and [2003, c. 194, §1 (AMD).]
C. When incurred by a cellular or wireless telecommunications service provider:
(1) That are approved by the bureau to be properly incurred for the implementation
of E-9-1-1 technologies and procedures;
(2) That are not separately billed to customers; and
(3) For which the provider is not reimbursed from any other source. [2003, c. 194, §1 (NEW).]
The Public Utilities Commission, in consultation with the bureau, shall establish
procedures for reviewing and approving expenses pursuant to paragraph B.
[
2013, c. 119, §5 (AMD)
.]
3-A. Payment of emergency medical dispatch training costs.
To assist public safety answering points in meeting the requirements of Title 32,
section 85-A, the bureau shall provide free training courses for emergency medical
dispatchers, as defined in Title 32, section 85-A, subsection 1, paragraph D, or reimburse
public safety answering points for reasonable costs, as determined by the bureau,
incurred for training courses approved by the bureau and attended by employees of
the public safety answering point upon submission by the public safety answering point
of adequate documentation of completion of the courses by the employees. The bureau
shall provide each public safety answering point a sufficient number of approved Emergency
Medical Dispatch Priority Reference System documents in printed or electronic format,
as determined by the bureau pursuant to Title 32, section 85-A. All costs incurred
by the bureau under this subsection must be paid from the E-9-1-1 fund.
[
2005, c. 303, §2 (NEW)
.]
3-B. Support of supervisory positions.
[
2009, c. 617, §10 (NEW);
MRSA T. 25, §2927, sub-§3-B (RP)
.]
3-C. Payment for standardized dispatch protocols for fire 9-1-1 calls.
To assist public safety answering points in the adoption and implementation of standardized
dispatch protocols for answering fire 9-1-1 calls, the bureau shall use up to 5¢ of
each surcharge collected under subsections 1-E and 1-F to provide public safety answering
points dispatcher training consistent with the protocols, necessary software and printed
support materials. The bureau shall provide quality assurance training and software
to assist public safety answering points in ensuring compliance with the protocols.
A. The bureau shall adopt rules related to the adoption, implementation and administration
of standardized dispatch protocols for answering fire 9-1-1 calls. Rules adopted
pursuant to this paragraph are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter
375, subchapter 2-A. [2015, c. 230, §1 (NEW).]
[
2015, c. 230, §1 (NEW)
.]
4. Unexpended funds; interest.
Any amount of the E-9-1-1 fund not expended at the end of the fiscal year may not
lapse but must be carried forward to be expended for the purposes specified in this
chapter in succeeding fiscal years. The Treasurer of State shall credit all interest
on fund balances to the fund.
[
1993, c. 566, §9 (NEW)
.]
5. Legislative annual report.
The bureau shall include in the Public Utilities Commission's annual report pursuant
to Title 35-A, section 120, subsection 7 to the joint standing committee of the Legislature
having jurisdiction over utilities and energy matters:
A. The bureau's planned expenditures for the year and use of funds for the previous year; [2009, c. 617, §11 (RPR).]
B. The statewide E-9-1-1 surcharge collected under this section; [2009, c. 617, §11 (RPR).]
C. The bureau's recommended statewide E-9-1-1 surcharge for the coming year; [2009, c. 617, §11 (RPR).]
D. The bureau's recommendations for amending existing and enacting new law to improve
the E-9-1-1 system; and [2009, c. 617, §11 (RPR).]
E. The performance of each of the public safety answering points in the State during
the previous calendar year, including the results of the bureau's quality assurance
program audits under section 2926, subsection 1-A and any recommendations of the bureau
relating to the emergency dispatching standards, practices and procedures of public
safety answering points. [2009, c. 617, §11 (RPR).]
[
2009, c. 617, §11 (RPR)
.]
5-A. Committee recommendations; budget.
The joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over utilities
and energy matters shall make recommendations to the joint standing committee of the
Legislature having jurisdiction over appropriations and financial affairs regarding
all expenditures from the E-9-1-1 fund.
[
1999, c. 790, Pt. A, §31 (AMD)
.]
6. Violations.
A telephone utility, a cellular or wireless telecommunications service provider, including a prepaid wireless telephone service provider, or an interconnected voice
over Internet protocol service provider subject to this section that intentionally and knowingly fails to remit the statewide
E-9-1-1 surcharge revenues collected under this section commits a civil violation
for which a forfeiture of not more than $500 may be adjudged for each day that payment
is not made after the due date.
[
2007, c. 68, §8 (AMD)
.]
7. Repeal.
[
1997, c. 409, §1 (RP)
.]
7-A. Repeal.
Subsections 1-A and 2-A are repealed 90 days after the adjournment of the First
Regular Session of the 119th Legislature.
[
1997, c. 409, §1 (AMD)
.]
8. Rules.
The Public Utilities Commission shall adopt rules necessary to implement the provisions
of this section. Rules adopted under this subsection are routine technical rules as
defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
[
2007, c. 68, §9 (NEW)
.]
SECTION HISTORY
1993, c. 566, §9 (NEW).
1995, c. 672, §§1-4 (AMD).
1997, c. 409, §1 (AMD).
1999, c. 651, §§1,2 (AMD).
1999, c. 651, §4 (AFF).
1999, c. 790, §A31 (AMD).
2001, c. 439, §§EEEE6,7 (AMD).
2001, c. 584, §1 (AMD).
2001, c. 584, §10 (AFF).
2003, c. 194, §1 (AMD).
2003, c. 359, §4 (AMD).
2003, c. 673, §V4 (AMD).
2003, c. 673, §V29 (AFF).
2005, c. 303, §§1,2 (AMD).
2007, c. 68, §§5-9 (AMD).
2007, c. 637, §1 (AMD).
2009, c. 122, §6 (AMD).
2009, c. 219, §3 (AMD).
2009, c. 400, §§6-12 (AMD).
2009, c. 400, §15 (AFF).
2009, c. 416, §1 (AMD).
2009, c. 617, §§7-11 (AMD).
2009, c. 617, §13 (AFF).
2011, c. 600, §§1, 2 (AMD).
2011, c. 600, §10 (AFF).
2013, c. 119, §§4, 5 (AMD).
2015, c. 230, §1 (AMD).
