HB 578: Public utilities; $1.50 increase in monthly 9-1-1 charge assessed by local governments; provide

Georgia law currently lets local governments charge telephone subscribers $1.50 a month to fund emergency 9-1-1 systems, with a matching $1.50 monthly charge for wireless connections and a $1.50 per-transaction charge on prepaid wireless purchases. House Bill 578 would raise all three of these charges by $1.50, doubling each to $3.00. The bill amends Georgia's 9-1-1 statute (O.C.G.A. § 46-5-134) to raise the standard monthly 9-1-1 charge and the wireless enhanced 9-1-1 charge from $1.50 to $3.00 per month, effective July 1, 2025. It also amends O.C.G.A. § 46-5-134.2 to raise the prepaid wireless 9-1-1 charge from $1.50 to $3.00 per retail transaction, and specifies that any local ordinance already imposing the charge before July 1, 2025, automatically becomes $3.00 on that date. Government-billed telephone service remains exempt from these charges.

• Raises the monthly 9-1-1 charge that service suppliers bill telephone subscribers from $1.50 to $3.00, effective July 1, 2025.
• Raises the monthly wireless enhanced 9-1-1 charge billed to wireless subscribers from $1.50 to $3.00, effective July 1, 2025.
• Raises the prepaid wireless 9-1-1 charge collected per retail transaction from $1.50 to $3.00.
• Automatically updates any existing local ordinance charging the prepaid 9-1-1 fee to $3.00 as of July 1, 2025, without requiring a new ordinance.
• Keeps existing exemptions in place, so telephone service billed to federal, state, or local governments remains exempt from the charge.

Telephone and wireless service subscribers across Georgia who pay the monthly 9-1-1 fee on their bills, retail customers who buy prepaid wireless service, phone and wireless service suppliers who bill and remit the charge, and local governments and public safety answering points that rely on the revenue for 9-1-1 systems.

Georgians with landline, wireless, or prepaid wireless phone service would see their monthly or per-transaction 9-1-1 fee double from $1.50 to $3.00, directly raising a cost that shows up on nearly every phone bill or prepaid purchase in the state, while providing more funding for local emergency call systems.

• Section 1 amends O.C.G.A. § 46-5-134(a) to raise the standard monthly 9-1-1 charge from $1.50 to $3.00 beginning July 1, 2025.
• Section 1 also raises the monthly wireless enhanced 9-1-1 charge from $1.50 to $3.00 beginning July 1, 2025.
• Government-billed telephone service continues to be exempt from both the standard and wireless enhanced 9-1-1 charges.
• Section 2 amends O.C.G.A. § 46-5-134.2(b) to raise the prepaid wireless 9-1-1 charge counties and municipalities may impose per retail transaction from $1.50 to $3.00.
• Section 2 provides that any prepaid 9-1-1 charge already set by local ordinance before July 1, 2025, automatically becomes $3.00 on that date.
• Section 3 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2025-02-26House Second Readers (House)
2. 2025-02-24House First Readers (House)
3. 2025-02-21House Hopper (House)

• Mike Cheokas (R, HD-151)Primary sponsor
• Gerald Greene (R, HD-154)
• Charles Cannon (R, HD-172)
• Tyler Smith (R, HD-018)
• Danny Mathis (R, HD-133)
• Bill Hitchens (R, HD-161)

• 911 fees
• phone bills
• emergency services funding
• local government charges
• wireless service fees