Bill on hiking 911 surcharge passes SD House

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PIERRE (AP) — The South Dakota House supports a bill that would spike the surcharge on phone bills to fund the 911 network.

For roughly three decades, residents have paid a 75-cent surcharge on landline and cell phone bills. This measure would raise it to $1.25 through 2018, in large part to help call centers afford Next Generation 9-1-1, an advanced system that lets the public transmit text, images, video and data during emergency calls.

Buyers of prepaid wireless phones would also pay the surcharge, making all users pay more. That would let local government, which has subsidized the 911 service over the years, pay less. The Department of Revenue would provide accountability.

House members passed the measure 64-4 on Monday.

The bill next goes back to the Senate for a vote.

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