Governor Involved in 9-1-1 Chase: Henry Signs HB 2556

Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry signed House Bill 2556 earlier this week. This legislation ensures that all cell phones are assessed the 50-cent service fee voted by the citizens of Central Oklahoma in 2005. Currently only some of wireless carriers in Central Oklahoma remit this fee that funds the complex state of the art 9-1-1 system that locates both traditional landline and cell phone users when they call 9-1-1.

The challenge for that selling prepaid cell service is that the service is often sold in bulk to retailers and it is unclear where the service is used or purchased. House Bill 2556 will use an innovative way of assessing the public safety fee by charging it at the retail transaction, since the address of the user is unknown. 9-1-1 ACOG believes this methodology for 9-1-1 fees may be the future to funding 9-1-1. 9-1-1 has always chased technology in both locating the caller but also in fee remittance which pays for the service. Customers demand more innovate and mobile technology and the traditional way of putting the fee on a phone bill is becoming obsolete.

Summary of HB 2556

Visit the Association of Central Oklahoma Government's Web site.