911 Fund
The 911 Fund supports the public safety answering points in North Carolina. The fund receives all the revenue from a uniform 911 service charge and is administered by the N.C. 911 Board. The board is administratively housed in the N.C. Department of Information Technology.
N.C.G.S. 62A, passed on July 27, 2007, mandates that the N.C. 911 Board set the service charge per connection by all types of voice communication service providers. The initial service charge was 70 cents in January 2008.
The N.C. 911 Board manages all revenue paid into the 911 Fund, which is an interest-bearing special revenue fund within the State Treasury. The board establishes procedures for disbursing funds and informs all voice communications service providers and eligible counties.
On July 1, 2023, the amount decreased 10 cents to 55 cents. If revenue exceeds needs, the board reduces the service charge. It must ensure cost recovery for public safety answering points over a reasonable period. Changes become effective only on July 1, and providers are notified at least 90 days beforehand.
How Funds Are Allocated
The N.C. 911 Board's revenue is allocated as follows:
- Up to 3.5% of service charge revenue may cover the N.C. 911 Board's administrative expenses pursuant to under G.S. 143B-1404.
- Fifteen percent of service charge revenue is allocated to the Next Generation 911 Reserve Fund pursuant to G.S. 143B-1404 and G.S. 143B-1407.
- A percentage of the funds from commercial mobile radio service providers is allocated for reimbursements to CMRS providers pursuant to G.S. 62A-45.
- A percentage of the funds from CMRS providers, all funds from prepaid wireless service collected by the N.C. Department of Revenue and all funds from all other voice communications service providers are allocated for monthly distributions to primary PSAPs pursuant to G.S. 62A-46 and grants to PSAPs pursuant to G.S. 62A-47.
- The percentage of the funds from CMRS providers allocated to them and PSAPs is set by the 911 Board and may be adjusted as necessary to ensure full cost recovery for CMRS providers and to distribute any excess funds to primary PSAPs.
Funds distributed from the 911 Fund are not considered to be state expenditures under section 5(3) of article III of the state constitution, so the governor may not reduce or withhold the revenue in the 911 Fund.