Georgians overwhelmingly passed a constitutional amendment during last week’s midterm election that mandates the funding of upgrades to the state’s 911 system.
The amendment, third on the ballot, passed with 78% of the vote.
It paves the way for the replacement of Georgia’s current, landline-based system with emergency response that instead uses the internet. It’s called Next Generation 911.
The state’s 911 system hasn’t received any major upgrades since the 1960s, leaving operators with outdated equipment that can’t even pinpoint a caller’s location.
Georgia’s emergency communications agency has been laying the groundwork for these upgrades for years. An ongoing project, for example, is the aggregation of geographic data, so that when the new system is up and running, there are established, mapped areas of responsibility.
“You’re building a system where each 911 call would not go unanswered,” said Aleisha Rucker-Wright, deputy director of the Georgia Emergency Communications Authority.
But with the vote on a fund for Next Generation 911, state lawmakers now need to navigate how to pay for it.
“And there’s differences of opinion on how to fund it,” said Todd Edwards, director of governmental affairs with the Association of County Commissioners.
Lawmakers have hinted at using the 911 service fee, the $1.50 charged at points of sale and monthly to anyone with a phone bill. But they have so far have rejected raising it.
Instead, existing recommendations include implementing a separate, state-imposed fee that would go into the special trust fund voters approved during the election.
The fees currently go toward local jurisdictions to support operations. For many counties though, that doesn’t go far enough.
“What we see is you have some areas where they’re more highly populated than others,” Rucker-Wright said. “So those 911 centers tend to collect more fees than others.”
In some cases, less-populated counties use county or municipal funds to manage up to 80% of their 911 system.
“So part of our message has been that without assistance from the state, you have jurisdictions that will not be able to afford to upgrade,” Rucker-Wright said.
And during the transition to Next Generation 911, there will be an overlap where counties could be paying for two systems at the same time.
What the state is willing to invest likely won’t be clear until the next legislative session, which starts Jan. 11. First, lawmakers will have to pass legislation to establish the boundaries and management of the fund. And major shakeups to state leadership means priorities are still being determined.
For the Association of County Commissioners, Edwards said Next Generation 911 implementation is a top priority next year.
“I think it’s a must-do,” Edwards said. “I think it’s a bipartisan support for this and understanding the need and how essential it is.”
Total system upgrades will several million dollars, with ongoing costs expected to local jurisdictions for upkeep. Annually, Georgia collects about $250 million in 911 fees passed through counties. About $6 million in state funds has already been appropriated for the first stages of transition.
