SB 273

                                                          Introduced Version
           SENATE BILL No. 273
                 _____
              DIGEST OF INTRODUCED BILL
Citations Affected: IC 36-8.
Synopsis: 911 telecommunications fees. Increases the: (1) 911 service
prepaid wireless charge; and (2) monthly statewide 911 fee; from $1 to
$2.
Effective: July 1, 2026.
                              Spencer
January 8, 2026, read first time and referred to Committee on Homeland Security and
Transportation.
2026  IN 273—LS 7020/DI 119
                                                                                       Introduced
            Second Regular Session of the 124th General Assembly (2026)
 PRINTING CODE. Amendments: Whenever an existing statute (or a section of the Indiana
 Constitution) is being amended, the text of the existing provision will appear in this style type,
 additions will appear in this style type, and deletions will appear in this style type.
   Additions: Whenever a new statutory provision is being enacted (or a new constitutional
 provision adopted), the text of the new provision will appear in this style type. Also, the
 word NEW will appear in that style type in the introductory clause of each SECTION that adds
 a new provision to the Indiana Code or the Indiana Constitution.
  Conflict reconciliation: Text in a statute in this style type or this style type reconciles conflicts
 between statutes enacted by the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly.
                   SENATE BILL No. 273
     A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning
 utilities.
     Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana:
1     SECTION 1. IC 36-8-16.6-11, AS AMENDED BY P.L.119-2024,
2 SECTION 7, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
3 JULY 1, 2026]: Sec. 11. (a) The board shall impose a 911 service
4 prepaid wireless charge on each retail transaction. The charge is not
5 required to be paid by an eligible telecommunications carrier that is
6 required to pay the monthly statewide 911 fee under IC 36-8-16.7-32
7 for the same transaction. The amount of the charge is one dollar ($1).
8 two dollars ($2). The board may increase the 911 service prepaid
9 wireless charge to ensure adequate revenue for the board to fulfill its
10 duties and obligations under this chapter and IC 36-8-16.7. The
11 following apply to an increase in the 911 service prepaid wireless
12 charge:
13(1) The board may increase the charge only one (1) time after
14April 30, 2023, and before July 1, 2026, in an amount not to
15exceed ten cents ($0.10).
16(2) The board may increase the charge only after review by the
17budget committee.
 2026  IN 273—LS 7020/DI 119
                                     2
1     (b) A consumer that is the federal government or an agency of the
2 federal government is exempt from the 911 service prepaid wireless
3 charge imposed under this section.
4     (c) This subsection applies to an eligible telecommunications carrier
5 for purposes of receiving Lifeline reimbursement from the universal
6 service fund through the administrator designated by the Federal
7 Communications Commission. An eligible telecommunications carrier:
8(1) is not considered an agency of the federal government for
9purposes of the exemption set forth in subsection (b); and
10(2) with respect to prepaid wireless telecommunications service
11provided to end users by the eligible telecommunications carrier
12in its capacity as an eligible telecommunications carrier, is liable
13for the charge imposed under subsection (d).
14     (d) Beginning September 1, 2015, and on the first day of each
15 month thereafter, an eligible telecommunications carrier described in
16 subsection (c) shall pay to the board a charge equal to the product of
17 the following factors:
18(1) The 911 service prepaid wireless charge established under
19subsection (a).
20(2) The number of unique end users for which the eligible
21telecommunications carrier received reimbursement from the
22universal service fund during the immediately preceding month.
23 The eligible telecommunications carrier may bill and collect from each
24 end user the charges calculated under this subsection with respect to
25 the end user. The eligible telecommunications carrier shall determine
26 the manner in which the eligible telecommunications carrier bills and
27 collects the charges. Except as provided in section 15 of this chapter,
28 an eligible telecommunications carrier may not bill and collect from an
29 end user an amount greater than the charges paid by the eligible
30 telecommunications carrier to the board with respect to the end user.
31     (e) If the board increases the 911 service prepaid wireless charge
32 under subsection (a), the board shall provide written notice to the
33 department of state revenue not later than sixty (60) days before the
34 date the increase takes effect that includes:
35(1) the effective date for the increase; and
36(2) the amount of the charge as increased by the board.
37     SECTION 2. IC 36-8-16.7-32, AS AMENDED BY P.L.119-2024,
38 SECTION 22, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
39 JULY 1, 2026]: Sec. 32. (a) Except as provided in subsections (b) and
40 (d), and subject to section 48(e) of this chapter, the board shall assess
41 a monthly statewide 911 fee on each standard user that is a customer
42 having a place of primary use in Indiana at a rate that ensures full
 2026  IN 273—LS 7020/DI 119
                                     3
1 recovery of the amount needed for the board to make distributions to
2 county treasurers consistent with this chapter and that provides for the
3 proper development, operation, and maintenance of a statewide 911
4 system. The amount of the fee assessed under this subsection is one
5 dollar ($1). two dollars ($2). The board may adjust the statewide 911
6 fee to ensure adequate revenue for the board to fulfill the board's duties
7 and obligations under this chapter, subject to the following:
8(1) The following apply to an increase in the fee:
9(A) The board may increase the fee only one (1) time after
10April 30, 2023, and before July 1, 2026, in an amount not to
11exceed ten cents ($0.10).
12(B) The board may increase the fee only after review by the
13budget committee.
14(2) The fee may not be lowered more than one (1) time in a
15calendar year.
16(3) The fee may not be lowered by an amount that is more than
17ten cents ($0.10) without legislative approval.
18    (b) The fee assessed under this section does not apply to a prepaid
19 user in a retail transaction under IC 36-8-16.6.
20    (c) An additional fee relating to the provision of 911 service may
21 not be levied by a state agency or local unit of government. A 911
22 service prepaid wireless charge (as defined in IC 36-8-16.6-0.5) is not
23 considered an additional fee relating to the provision of wireless 911
24 service for purposes of this section.
25    (d) A user is exempt from the fee if the user is any of the following:
26(1) The federal government or an agency of the federal
27government.
28(2) The state or an agency or instrumentality of the state.
29(3) A political subdivision (as defined in IC 36-1-2-13) or an
30agency of a political subdivision.
31(4) A user that accesses communications service solely through
32a wireless data only service plan.
33    (e) This subsection applies to an eligible telecommunications carrier
34 for purposes of receiving Lifeline reimbursement from the universal
35 service fund through the administrator designated by the Federal
36 Communications Commission. An eligible telecommunications carrier:
37(1) is not considered an agency of the federal government for
38purposes of the exemption set forth in subsection (d); and
39(2) with respect to communications service provided to end users
40by the eligible telecommunications carrier in its capacity as an
41eligible telecommunications carrier, is liable for the fee assessed
42under subsection (f).
 2026  IN 273—LS 7020/DI 119
                                     4
1     (f) Beginning September 1, 2015, and on the first day of each month
2 thereafter, an eligible telecommunications carrier described in
3 subsection (e) shall pay to the board a fee equal to the product of the
4 following factors:
5(1) The monthly statewide 911 fee established under subsection
6(a).
7(2) The number of unique end users for which the eligible
8telecommunications carrier received reimbursement from the
9universal service fund during the immediately preceding month.
10 The eligible telecommunications carrier may bill and collect from each
11 end user the fees calculated under this subsection with respect to the
12 end user. The eligible telecommunications carrier shall determine the
13 manner in which the eligible telecommunications carrier bills and
14 collects the fees. Except as provided in section 33(d) of this chapter, an
15 eligible telecommunications carrier may not bill and collect from an
16 end user an amount greater than the fees paid by the eligible
17 telecommunications carrier to the board with respect to the end user.
18     (g) If the board increases or decreases the statewide 911 fee under
19 subsection (a), the board shall provide written notice to the department
20 of state revenue not later than sixty (60) days before the date the
21 increase or decrease takes effect that includes:
22(1) the effective date for the increase or decrease; and
23(2) the amount of the charge as increased or decreased by the
24board.
 2026  IN 273—LS 7020/DI 119