47 USC 251a – State authority over fees
(a) Authority
(1) In general
Nothing in this Act, any amendment made by this Act, the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 151 et seq.), or any Commission regulation or order may prevent the imposition and collection of a fee or charge applicable to a commercial mobile service or an IP-enabled voice service specifically designated by a State, a political subdivision of a State, an Indian Tribe, or village or regional corporation serving a region established pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) for 9-8-8 related services, if the fee or charge is held in a sequestered account to be obligated or expended only in support of 9-8-8 services, or enhancements of such services, as specified in the provision of State or local law adopting the fee or charge.
(2) Use of 9-8-8 funds
A fee or charge collected under this subsection shall only be imposed, collected, and used to pay expenses that a State, a political subdivision of a State, an Indian Tribe, or village or regional corporation serving a region established pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) is expected to incur that are reasonably attributed to—
(A) ensuring the efficient and effective routing of calls made to the 9-8-8 national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline to an appropriate crisis center; and
(B) personnel and the provision of acute mental health, crisis outreach and stabilization services by directly responding to the 9-8-8 national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline.
(b) Fee Accountability Report
To ensure efficiency, transparency, and accountability in the collection and expenditure of a fee or charge for the support or implementation of 9-8-8 services, not later than 2 years after October 17, 2020, and annually thereafter, the Commission shall submit to the Committees on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and Appropriations of the Senate and the Committees on Energy and Commerce and Appropriations of the House of Representatives a report that—
(1) details the status in each State, political subdivision of a State, Indian Tribe, or village or regional corporation serving a region established pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) of the collection and distribution of such fees or charges; and
(2) includes findings on the amount of revenues obligated or expended by each State, political subdivision of a State, Indian Tribe, or village or regional corporation serving a region established pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) for any purpose other than the purpose for which any such fees or charges are specified.
(c) Definitions
Terms Used In 47 USC 251a
- Amendment: A proposal to alter the text of a pending bill or other measure by striking out some of it, by inserting new language, or both. Before an amendment becomes part of the measure, thelegislature must agree to it.
- corporation: includes any corporation, joint-stock company, or association. See 47 USC 153
- Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
- interconnected VoIP service: has the meaning given such term under Section 9. See 47 USC 153
- mobile service: means a radio communication service carried on between mobile stations or receivers and land stations, and by mobile stations communicating among themselves, and includes (A) both one-way and two-way radio communication services, (B) a mobile service which provides a regularly interacting group of base, mobile, portable, and associated control and relay stations (whether licensed on an individual, cooperative, or multiple basis) for private one-way or two-way land mobile radio communications by eligible users over designated areas of operation, and (C) any service for which a license is required in a personal communications service established pursuant to the proceeding entitled "Amendment to the Commission's Rules to Establish New Personal Communications Services" (GEN Docket No. See 47 USC 153
- Settlement: Parties to a lawsuit resolve their difference without having a trial. Settlements often involve the payment of compensation by one party in satisfaction of the other party's claims.
- State: includes the District of Columbia and the Territories and possessions. See 47 USC 153
In this section:
(1) Commercial mobile service
The term “commercial mobile service” has the meaning given that term under section 332(d) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 332(d)).
(2) Commission
The term “Commission” means the Federal Communications Commission.
(3) IP-enabled voice service
The term “IP-enabled voice service” shall include—
(A) an interconnected VoIP service, as defined in section 9.3 of the 1 title 47 of the Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor thereto; and
(B) a one-way interconnected VoIP service.
(4) State
The term “State” has the meaning given that term in section 615b of this title.