(a)(1) Every public utility doing business in this state and subject to the control and jurisdiction of the commission to which this chapter applies, shall pay to the state on or before April 1 of each year, a fee for the inspection, control and supervision of the business, service and rates of such public utility.(2) Fees collected by the commission pursuant to this part shall be expended by the commission for the inspection, control and supervision of the business service and rates of such public utilities as established in subdivision (a)(1). In addition, the Tennessee public utility commission may grant, on a one-time basis, an amount not to exceed four hundred thousand dollars ($400,000) from the public utilities account, as defined in § 65-4-307, to the 2-1-1 collaborative for the purpose of defraying start-up costs associated with the establishment of 2-1-1 telephone service to cover all parts of the state. Such grant may be made only after public notice is provided by the Tennessee public utility commission, specifically giving all public utilities, which are currently doing business in this state and subject to the control and jurisdiction of the commission, the opportunity to raise objection to such grant. The commission shall consider any objection timely filed in response to the commission notice prior to making such grant.(b) Every owner or operator of a public pay telephone service who is not a public utility paying a fee in accordance with subsection (a), and who is authorized to provide such service pursuant to commission regulation, shall pay an annual inspection and supervision fee of ten dollars ($10.00) for each service location. Such fee shall be paid on or before July 1 of each year.
