If you look closely at your phone bill, you will find a 911 surcharge. Depending on where you live will depend on how much you pay, and one senator is looking to change that.
If you live in Douglas County, your 911 surcharge will be 50 cents for a landline, and 45 cents for a cell phone.
Senator Robert Hilkemann wants to raise those user fees to one dollar for land lines, and 70 cents for cell phones.
“It is public safety, and as new technology comes available, I want our 911 system to be as good as any 911 systems across the country,” said Hilkemann.
In order to keep up with advances in technology, 911 centers need money. One of the ways they get that money is through the 911 surcharge funds from phone bills.
“911 surcharges is for the equipment of your 911 center, and this will definitely help, especially with our public safety bond issue that just passed,” said Douglas County Commissioner Chair Mary Ann Borgeson.
Senator Hilkeman said that Douglas county has been carved out from the other counties in Nebraska, “Out of the 93 counties in Nebraska, we are the only ones who pay 50 cents while the rest of the state pays one dollar.”
Borgeson said they have been asking the senate to change the surcharge for years and she hopes pending 911 advancements in Nebraska will motivate legislatures.
SEE RELATED: Nebraska plans to make 911 better
“What I think will help is we are moving to the Next Gen 911, they are talking more state wide on your 911, and that will increase the conversations we are having to increase the surcharge for Douglas county,” said Borgeson.
SEE RELATED: Voters to decide on $45 million bond for Douglas County
The current 911 surcharges provided $380,000 dollars to Douglas county 911, and if this bill passes that number would double.
The bill will go to the Transportation and Telecommunications committee for a hearing on Tuesday. The committee must pass with five votes to move the bill onto the legislative floor.
