UPDATE
FCC Commissioner Michael O’Rielly recently excoriated states that divert 911 fees for other uses. Speaking to an E911 Summit in that state, he called the practice “appalling” and vowed to help change it as the agency is looking into the practice.
In a follow-up letter to Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo, O’Rielly says he’s heartened to learn she’s open to changing state law to “prevent fee diversion going forward.” He notes there appears to be bipartisan support in the state for the change and asks Raimondo what her next steps will be.
“Specifically, I am interested to know if you plan to make a formal legislative recommendation on this matter to the state General Assembly and if the creation of a new dedicated 911 fund will be contained within a supplemental budget submission or await next year’s budget preparation,” says O’Rielly. He also wants to know whether any excess 911 fees that go to the state’s General Fund will be shrunk to “the appropriate level or reserved to modernize the state’s 911 system.”
In touring a Rhode Island 911 call center, he learned fee diversion has led to underfunding, generating longer wait times, delayed emergency responses and lower worker morale. O’Rielly offered to help Raimondo make the change.
April 4, 2018
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