2186

LAWS OF MARYLAND

Ch. 625

Emergency Telephone System - Trust Fund

FOR the purpose of providing for the funding of the 911
Emergency Telephone System; and clarifying language
changing the method of collecting from telephone
subscribers the amounts required to fund the 911 trust
fund; prescribing the duties of the public service
commission, telephone companies and the State
comptroller.

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,

Article 41 - Governor - Executive and Administrative

Departments
Section 204H-l(f)(10), 204H-5(b) and (c)
Annotated Code of Maryland
(1978 Replacement Volume and 1979 Supplement)

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That section(s) of the Annotated Code of Maryland
be repealed, amended, or enacted to read as follows:

Article 41 - Governor - Executive and Administrative

Departments

204H-1.

(f) In this subtitle, the following words and terms
have the meanings indicated:

(10) "911 Trust Fund" means the net proceeds of
the [surcharge] FEE proposed in Section 204H-5 of this
subtitle.

204H-5.

(b) For purposes of this subtitle, there is
established [as an added cost of telephone service in
Maryland,] a 911 [surcharge] FEE, to be paid by the
SUBSCRIBERS TO telephone [companies as defined in the Public
Service Commission Law] SERVICE. [This surcharge shall be
assessed as a set fee per telephone account and will be
imposed as of July 1, 1980, and shall expire June 30, 1983.]
The Public Service Commission shall [impose the surcharge
and shall authorize the telephone companies to add the full
amount of the surcharge to customers1 bills. To the extent
that the surcharge is not collected from customers, the
surcharge shall be deemed a cost of telephone service and
shall be allowed and computed as such, together with other
allowable expenses, for rate-making purposes. Revenues from
the surcharge shall be collected by the Comptroller and
placed in the fund] SET THE AMOUNT OF THE FEE AND DIRECT THE
TELEPHONE COMPANIES TO ADD IT TO ALL BILLS RENDERED FOR
TELEPHONE SERVICE IN THE STATE ON AND AFTER JULY 1, 1980
THROUGH JUNE 30, 1983. AFTER JUNE 30, 1983, THIS FEE MAY
NOT BE IMPOSED. THE TELEPHONE COMPANIES SHALL ACT AS