Sec. 1. 25 MRSA §2926, sub-§5, as enacted by PL 2001, c. 439, Pt. EEEE, §5, is amended to read:

5. Call answering coverage. The bureau is not required to provide for or use surcharge funding for local 911 call answering coverage in counties or municipalities that choose not to participate in the E-9-1-1 system.

Sec. 2. 25 MRSA §2927, sub-§1-B, as amended by PL 2001, c. 584, §1 and affected by §10, is further amended to read:

1-B. Statewide E-9-1-1 surcharge. The activities authorized under this chapter are funded through a special statewide E-9-1-1 surcharge levied on each residential and business telephone exchange line, including private branch exchange lines and Centrex lines, cellular or wireless telecommunications service subscribers and semipublic coin and public access lines. The statewide E-9-1-1 surcharge may not be imposed on more than 25 lines or numbers per customer billing account. In the case of cellular or wireless telecommunications service subscribers, the place of residence of those subscribers must be determined according to the sourcing rules for mobile telecommunications services set forth in Title 36, section 1816. The statewide E-9-1-1 surcharge is 50¢ 66¢ per month per line or number until 90 days after adjournment of the First Regular Session of the 121st Legislature, after which time the statewide E-9-1-1 surcharge is 32¢ per month per line or number. The statewide E-9-1-1 surcharge must be billed on a monthly basis by each local exchange telephone utility or cellular or wireless telecommunications service provider and be shown separately as a statewide E-9-1-1 surcharge on the customer's bill.

SUMMARY

This bill removes the sunset provision that reduces the surcharge for Enhanced 9-1-1 service from 50¢ to 32¢, it increases the surcharge from 50¢ to 66¢ and makes it clear that a county or municipality may not withdraw from the statewide E-9-1-1 system.