130th Ohio General Assembly
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H. B. No. 361As Introduced
As Introduced

125th General Assembly
Regular Session
2003-2004
H. B. No. 361


REPRESENTATIVES Flowers, Niehaus, Olman, Reinhard, Faber, Seitz, Allen, Harwood



A BILL
To amend sections 2307.64, 2913.01, 4931.40, 4931.41, 4931.43, 4931.44, 4931.45, 4931.46, 4931.47, 4931.48, 4931.49, 4931.50, 4931.99, 5727.39, and 5733.55; to amend, for the purpose of adopting a new section number as shown in parentheses, section 4931.55 (4931.75); and to enact sections 4931.60 to 4931.71 of the Revised Code to provide for wireless enhanced 9-1-1, including requirements for its operation, administration, funding, and regulation, and to permit a telephone company that is a wireline service provider to fund through an existing tax credit mechanism the total nonrecurring rates and charges for an updating or modernization of the wireline telephone network portion of a 9-1-1 system or a modification of that telephone network to provide wireless enhanced 9-1-1; and to amend the versions of sections 4931.45, 4931.47, and 4931.48 of the Revised Code that are scheduled to take effect December 31, 2004, and to continue the provisions of this act on and after that effective date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
Section 1.  That sections 2307.64, 2913.01, 4931.40, 4931.41, 4931.43, 4931.44, 4931.45, 4931.46, 4931.47, 4931.48, 4931.49, 4931.50, 4931.99, 5727.39, and 5733.55 be amended; section 4931.55 (4931.75) be amended for the purpose of adopting a new section number as indicated in parentheses; and sections 4931.60, 4931.61, 4931.62, 4931.63, 4931.64, 4931.65, 4931.66, 4931.67, 4931.68, 4931.69, 4931.70, and 4931.71 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:
Sec. 2307.64. (A) As used in this section:
(1) "Advertisement" has the same meaning as in section 4931.55 4931.75 of the Revised Code.
(2) "Computer," "computer network," "computer program," "computer services," and "telecommunications device" have the same meanings as in section 2913.01 of the Revised Code.
(3) "Electronic mail" means an electronic message that is transmitted between two or more telecommunications devices or electronic devices capable of receiving electronic messages, whether or not the message is converted to hard copy format after receipt, and whether or not the message is viewed upon the transmission or stored for later retrieval. "Electronic mail" includes electronic messages that are transmitted through a local, regional, or global computer network.
(4) "Electronic mail advertisement" means electronic mail containing an advertisement.
(5) "Electronic mail service provider" means any person that is an intermediary in sending and receiving electronic mail and that provides to users of electronic mail services the ability to send or receive electronic mail. "Electronic mail service provider" includes an internet service provider.
(6) "Internet" has the same meaning as in section 341.42 of the Revised Code.
(7) "Originating address" means the string of characters used to specify the source of any electronic mail message.
(8) "Person" has the same meaning as in section 1.59 of the Revised Code, but when a person is not an individual, the person responsible for transmitting or causing to be transmitted an electronic mail advertisement is the particular division of the partnership, corporation, or other business entity actually responsible for the transmission of the electronic mail advertisement.
(9) "Pre-existing business relationship" means that there was a business transaction between the initiator and the recipient of a commercial electronic mail message during the five-year period preceding the receipt of that message. A pre-existing business relationship includes a transaction involving the free provision of information, goods, or services requested by the recipient. A pre-existing business relationship does not exist after a recipient requests to be removed from the distribution lists of an initiator pursuant to division (B) of this section and a reasonable amount of time has expired since that request.
(10) "Receiving address" means the string of characters used to specify a recipient with each receiving address creating a unique and separate recipient.
(11) "Recipient" means a person who receives an electronic mail advertisement at any one of the following receiving addresses:
(a) A receiving address furnished by an electronic mail service provider that bills for furnishing and maintaining that receiving address to a mailing address within this state;
(b) A receiving address ordinarily accessed from a computer located within this state;
(c) A receiving address ordinarily accessed by a person domiciled within this state;
(d) Any other receiving address with respect to which the obligations imposed by this section can be imposed consistent with the United States Constitution.
(B)(1) Except as otherwise provided in division (B)(3) of this section, a person that transmits or causes to be transmitted to a recipient an electronic mail advertisement shall clearly and conspicuously provide to the recipient, within the body of the electronic mail advertisement, both of the following:
(a) The person's name and complete residence or business address and the electronic mail address of the person transmitting the electronic mail advertisement;
(b) A notice that the recipient may decline to receive from the person transmitting or causing to be transmitted the electronic mail advertisement any additional electronic mail advertisements and a detailed procedure for declining to receive any additional electronic mail advertisements at no cost. The notice shall be of the same size of type as the majority of the text of the message and shall not require that the recipient provide any information other than the receiving address.
(2) If the recipient of an electronic mail advertisement uses the procedure contained in the notice described in division (B)(1)(b) of this section to decline to receive any additional electronic mail advertisements, the person that transmitted or caused to be transmitted the original electronic mail advertisement, within a reasonable period of time, shall cease transmitting or causing to be transmitted to the receiving address any additional electronic mail advertisements.
(3) A person does not violate division (B) of this section if the person transmits or causes to be transmitted to the recipient an electronic mail advertisement when any of the following apply:
(a) The person has a pre-existing business or personal relationship with the recipient.
(b) The recipient has consented or has agreed as a condition of service to receive the electronic mail advertisement.
(c) The recipient receives the electronic mail advertisement because another recipient forwarded the advertisement to that recipient via an internet web site or another recipient made a direct referral of that recipient to receive the advertisement.
(C) No person shall use a computer, a computer network, or the computer services of an electronic mail service provider to transmit an electronic mail advertisement in contravention of the authority granted by, or in violation of the policies related to electronic mail advertisements set by, the electronic mail service provider if the electronic mail service provider has provided the person notice of those policies. For the purposes of this division, notice of those policies shall be deemed sufficient if an electronic mail service provider maintains an easily accessible web page containing its policies regarding electronic mail advertisements and can demonstrate that notice was supplied via electronic means between the sending and receiving computers.
(D) No electronic mail service provider shall be liable for transmitting another person's electronic mail advertisement through its service in violation of this section, or shall be liable for any action it voluntarily takes in good faith to block the receipt or transmission through its service of any electronic mail advertisement that it believes is, or will be sent, in violation of this section.
(E) A recipient of an electronic mail advertisement transmitted in violation of division (B) of this section may bring a civil action against a person who transmitted that advertisement or caused it to be transmitted. In that action, the recipient may recover the following:
(1) One hundred dollars for each violation, not to exceed a total of fifty thousand dollars;
(2) Reasonable attorney's fees, court costs, and other costs of bringing the action.
(F) An electronic mail service provider whose authority or policy has been contravened in violation of division (C) of this section may bring a civil action against a person who transmitted that advertisement or caused it to be transmitted. In that action, the electronic mail service provider may recover the following:
(1)(a) Fifty dollars for each violation of division (C) of this section, not to exceed fifty thousand dollars;
(b) If a violation of division (C) of this section is a willful or knowing violation, the court may increase the amount recoverable to an amount not to exceed five hundred thousand dollars.
(c) If a violation of division (C) of this section is accompanied by a violation of division (H) of this section, there shall be no limit on the amount that may be recovered pursuant to this section.
(2) Reasonable attorney's fees, court costs, and other costs of bringing the action.
(G) In addition to any recovery that is allowed under divisions (E) or (F) of this section, the recipient of an electronic mail advertisement transmitted in violation of division (B) of this section or the electronic mail service provider of an advertisement transmitted in violation of division (C) of this section may apply to the court of common pleas of the county in which the recipient resides or the service provider is located for an order enjoining the person who transmitted or caused to be transmitted that electronic mail advertisement from transmitting or causing to be transmitted to the recipient any additional electronic mail advertisement.
(H) No person shall use a computer, a computer network, a computer program, or the computer services of an electronic mail service provider with the intent to forge an originating address or other routing information, in any manner, in connection with the transmission of an electronic mail advertisement through or into the network of an electronic mail service provider or its subscribers. Each use of a computer, a computer network, a computer program, or the computer services of an electronic mail service provider in violation of this division constitutes a separate offense. A person who violates this division is guilty of forgery under section 2913.31 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 2913.01.  As used in this chapter, unless the context requires that a term be given a different meaning:
(A) "Deception" means knowingly deceiving another or causing another to be deceived by any false or misleading representation, by withholding information, by preventing another from acquiring information, or by any other conduct, act, or omission that creates, confirms, or perpetuates a false impression in another, including a false impression as to law, value, state of mind, or other objective or subjective fact.
(B) "Defraud" means to knowingly obtain, by deception, some benefit for oneself or another, or to knowingly cause, by deception, some detriment to another.
(C) "Deprive" means to do any of the following:
(1) Withhold property of another permanently, or for a period that appropriates a substantial portion of its value or use, or with purpose to restore it only upon payment of a reward or other consideration;
(2) Dispose of property so as to make it unlikely that the owner will recover it;
(3) Accept, use, or appropriate money, property, or services, with purpose not to give proper consideration in return for the money, property, or services, and without reasonable justification or excuse for not giving proper consideration.
(D) "Owner" means, unless the context requires a different meaning, any person, other than the actor, who is the owner of, who has possession or control of, or who has any license or interest in property or services, even though the ownership, possession, control, license, or interest is unlawful.
(E) "Services" include labor, personal services, professional services, public utility services including wireless service as defined in section 4931.40 of the Revised Code, common carrier services, and food, drink, transportation, entertainment, and cable television services and, for purposes of section 2913.04 of the Revised Code, include cable services as defined in that section.
(F) "Writing" means any computer software, document, letter, memorandum, note, paper, plate, data, film, or other thing having in or upon it any written, typewritten, or printed matter, and any token, stamp, seal, credit card, badge, trademark, label, or other symbol of value, right, privilege, license, or identification.
(G) "Forge" means to fabricate or create, in whole or in part and by any means, any spurious writing, or to make, execute, alter, complete, reproduce, or otherwise purport to authenticate any writing, when the writing in fact is not authenticated by that conduct.
(H) "Utter" means to issue, publish, transfer, use, put or send into circulation, deliver, or display.
(I) "Coin machine" means any mechanical or electronic device designed to do both of the following:
(1) Receive a coin, bill, or token made for that purpose;
(2) In return for the insertion or deposit of a coin, bill, or token, automatically dispense property, provide a service, or grant a license.
(J) "Slug" means an object that, by virtue of its size, shape, composition, or other quality, is capable of being inserted or deposited in a coin machine as an improper substitute for a genuine coin, bill, or token made for that purpose.
(K) "Theft offense" means any of the following:
(1) A violation of section 2911.01, 2911.02, 2911.11, 2911.12, 2911.13, 2911.31, 2911.32, 2913.02, 2913.03, 2913.04, 2913.041, 2913.05, 2913.06, 2913.11, 2913.21, 2913.31, 2913.32, 2913.33, 2913.34, 2913.40, 2913.42, 2913.43, 2913.44, 2913.45, 2913.47, former section 2913.47 or 2913.48, or section 2913.51, 2915.05, or 2921.41 of the Revised Code;
(2) A violation of an existing or former municipal ordinance or law of this or any other state, or of the United States, substantially equivalent to any section listed in division (K)(1) of this section or a violation of section 2913.41, 2913.81, or 2915.06 of the Revised Code as it existed prior to July 1, 1996;
(3) An offense under an existing or former municipal ordinance or law of this or any other state, or of the United States, involving robbery, burglary, breaking and entering, theft, embezzlement, wrongful conversion, forgery, counterfeiting, deceit, or fraud;
(4) A conspiracy or attempt to commit, or complicity in committing, any offense under division (K)(1), (2), or (3) of this section.
(L) "Computer services" includes, but is not limited to, the use of a computer system, computer network, computer program, data that is prepared for computer use, or data that is contained within a computer system or computer network.
(M) "Computer" means an electronic device that performs logical, arithmetic, and memory functions by the manipulation of electronic or magnetic impulses. "Computer" includes, but is not limited to, all input, output, processing, storage, computer program, or communication facilities that are connected, or related, in a computer system or network to an electronic device of that nature.
(N) "Computer system" means a computer and related devices, whether connected or unconnected, including, but not limited to, data input, output, and storage devices, data communications links, and computer programs and data that make the system capable of performing specified special purpose data processing tasks.
(O) "Computer network" means a set of related and remotely connected computers and communication facilities that includes more than one computer system that has the capability to transmit among the connected computers and communication facilities through the use of computer facilities.
(P) "Computer program" means an ordered set of data representing coded instructions or statements that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to process data.
(Q) "Computer software" means computer programs, procedures, and other documentation associated with the operation of a computer system.
(R) "Data" means a representation of information, knowledge, facts, concepts, or instructions that are being or have been prepared in a formalized manner and that are intended for use in a computer, computer system, or computer network. For purposes of section 2913.47 of the Revised Code, "data" has the additional meaning set forth in division (A) of that section.
(S) "Cable television service" means any services provided by or through the facilities of any cable television system or other similar closed circuit coaxial cable communications system, or any microwave or similar transmission service used in connection with any cable television system or other similar closed circuit coaxial cable communications system.
(T) "Gain access" means to approach, instruct, communicate with, store data in, retrieve data from, or otherwise make use of any resources of a computer, computer system, or computer network, or any cable service or cable system both as defined in section 2913.04 of the Revised Code.
(U) "Credit card" includes, but is not limited to, a card, code, device, or other means of access to a customer's account for the purpose of obtaining money, property, labor, or services on credit, or for initiating an electronic fund transfer at a point-of-sale terminal, an automated teller machine, or a cash dispensing machine. It also includes a county procurement card issued under section 301.29 of the Revised Code.
(V) "Electronic fund transfer" has the same meaning as in 92 Stat. 3728, 15 U.S.C.A. 1693a, as amended.
(W) "Rented property" means personal property in which the right of possession and use of the property is for a short and possibly indeterminate term in return for consideration; the rentee generally controls the duration of possession of the property, within any applicable minimum or maximum term; and the amount of consideration generally is determined by the duration of possession of the property.
(X) "Telecommunication" means the origination, emission, dissemination, transmission, or reception of data, images, signals, sounds, or other intelligence or equivalence of intelligence of any nature over any communications system by any method, including, but not limited to, a fiber optic, electronic, magnetic, optical, digital, or analog method.
(Y) "Telecommunications device" means any instrument, equipment, machine, or other device that facilitates telecommunication, including, but not limited to, a computer, computer network, computer chip, computer circuit, scanner, telephone, cellular telephone, pager, personal communications device, transponder, receiver, radio, modem, or device that enables the use of a modem.
(Z) "Telecommunications service" means the providing, allowing, facilitating, or generating of any form of telecommunication through the use of a telecommunications device over a telecommunications system.
(AA) "Counterfeit telecommunications device" means a telecommunications device that, alone or with another telecommunications device, has been altered, constructed, manufactured, or programmed to acquire, intercept, receive, or otherwise facilitate the use of a telecommunications service or information service without the authority or consent of the provider of the telecommunications service or information service. "Counterfeit telecommunications device" includes, but is not limited to, a clone telephone, clone microchip, tumbler telephone, or tumbler microchip; a wireless scanning device capable of acquiring, intercepting, receiving, or otherwise facilitating the use of telecommunications service or information service without immediate detection; or a device, equipment, hardware, or software designed for, or capable of, altering or changing the electronic serial number in a wireless telephone.
(BB)(1) "Information service" means, subject to division (BB)(2) of this section, the offering of a capability for generating, acquiring, storing, transforming, processing, retrieving, utilizing, or making available information via telecommunications, including, but not limited to, electronic publishing.
(2) "Information service" does not include any use of a capability of a type described in division (BB)(1) of this section for the management, control, or operation of a telecommunications system or the management of a telecommunications service.
(CC) "Elderly person" means a person who is sixty-five years of age or older.
(DD) "Disabled adult" means a person who is eighteen years of age or older and has some impairment of body or mind that makes the person unfit to work at any substantially remunerative employment that the person otherwise would be able to perform and that will, with reasonable probability, continue for a period of at least twelve months without any present indication of recovery from the impairment, or who is eighteen years of age or older and has been certified as permanently and totally disabled by an agency of this state or the United States that has the function of so classifying persons.
(EE) "Firearm" and "dangerous ordnance" have the same meanings as in section 2923.11 of the Revised Code.
(FF) "Motor vehicle" has the same meaning as in section 4501.01 of the Revised Code.
(GG) "Dangerous drug" has the same meaning as in section 4729.01 of the Revised Code.
(HH) "Drug abuse offense" has the same meaning as in section 2925.01 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 4931.40.  As used in sections 4931.40 to 4931.54 4931.71 of the Revised Code:
(A) "9-1-1 system" means a system through which individuals can request emergency service using the telephone number 9-1-1.
(B) "Basic 9-1-1" means a 9-1-1 system in which a caller provides information on the nature of and the location of an emergency, and the personnel receiving the call must determine the appropriate emergency service provider to respond at that location.
(C) "Enhanced 9-1-1" means a 9-1-1 system capable of providing both enhanced wireline 9-1-1 and wireless enhanced 9-1-1.
(D) "Enhanced wireline 9-1-1" means a 9-1-1 system in which the wireline telephone network system, in providing wireline 9-1-1, automatically provides to personnel receiving the call, immediately on answering the 9-1-1 call, information on the location and the telephone number from which the call is being made, and routes the call to emergency service providers that serve the location from which the call is made and immediately provides to personnel answering the 9-1-1 call information on the location and the telephone number from which the call is being made.
(D)(E) "Wireless enhanced 9-1-1" means a 9-1-1 system that, in providing wireless 9-1-1, has the capabilities of phase I and, to the extent available, phase II enhanced 9-1-1 services as described in 47 C.F.R. 20.18 (d) to (h).
(F) "Wireless service" means federally licensed commercial mobile service as defined in 47 U.S.C. 332(d) and further defined as commercial mobile radio service in 47 C.F.R. 20.3, and includes service provided by any wireless, two-way communications device, including a radio-telephone communications line used in cellular telephone service or personal communications service, a network radio access line, or any functional or competitive equivalent of such a radio-telephone communications or network radio access line.
(G) "Wireless service provider" means a facilities-based provider of wireless service to one or more end users in this state.
(H) "Wireless 9-1-1" means the emergency call response service provided by a 9-1-1 system pursuant to a call originating in the network of a wireless service provider.
(I) "Wireless 9-1-1 service funds" means the funds created under divisions (A) and (B) of section 4931.63 of the Revised Code.
(J) "Wireline 9-1-1" means the emergency call response service provided by a 9-1-1 system pursuant to a call originating in the network of a wireline service provider.
(K) "Wireline service provider" means a facilities-based provider of wireline service to one or more end-users in this state.
(L) "Wireline service" means basic local exchange service, as defined in section 4927.01 of the Revised Code, that is transmitted by means of interconnected wires or cables by a wireline service provider authorized by the public utilities commission.
(M) "Wireline telephone network" means the selective router and data base processing systems, trunking and data wiring cross connection points at the public safety answering point, and all other voice and data components of the 9-1-1 system.
(N) "Subdivision" means a county, municipal corporation, township, township fire district, joint fire district, township police district, joint ambulance district, or joint emergency medical services district that provides emergency service within its territory, or that contracts with another municipal corporation, township, or district or with a private entity to provide such service; and a state college or university, port authority, or park district of any kind that employs law enforcement officers that act as the primary police force on the grounds of the college or university or port authority or in the parks operated by the district.
(E)(O) "Emergency service" means emergency police law enforcement, firefighting, ambulance, rescue, and medical service.
(F)(P) "Emergency service provider" means the state highway patrol and an emergency service department or unit of a subdivision or that operates in provides emergency service to a subdivision under contract with the subdivision.
(G)(Q) "Public safety answering point" means a facility to which 9-1-1 system calls for a specific territory are initially routed for response and where subdivision personnel respond to specific requests for emergency service by directly dispatching the appropriate emergency service provider, relaying a message to the appropriate provider, or transferring the call to the appropriate provider.
(H)(R) "Customer premises equipment" means telecommunications equipment, including telephone instruments, on the premises of a public safety answering point that is used in answering and responding to 9-1-1 system calls.
(I)(S) "Municipal corporation in the county" includes any municipal corporation that is wholly contained in the county and each municipal corporation located in more than one county that has a greater proportion of its territory in the county to which the term refers than in any other county.
(J)(T) "Board of county commissioners" includes the legislative authority of a county established under Section 3 of Article X, Ohio Constitution, or Chapter 302. of the Revised Code.
(K)(U) "Final plan" means a final plan adopted under division (B) of section 4931.44 of the Revised Code and, except as otherwise expressly provided, an amended final plan adopted under section 4931.45 of the Revised Code.
(L)(V) "Subdivision served by a public safety answering point" means a subdivision that provides emergency service for any part of its territory that is located within the territory of a public safety answering point whether the subdivision provides the emergency service with its own employees or pursuant to a contract.
(M)(W) A township's population includes only population of the unincorporated portion of the township.
(N)(X) "Telephone company" means a company engaged in the business of providing local exchange telephone service by making available or furnishing access and a dial tone to persons within a local calling area for use in originating and receiving voice grade communications over a switched network operated by the provider of the service within the area and gaining access to other telecommunications services. "Telephone company" includes a wireline service provider and a wireless service provider unless otherwise expressly specified, except that, for purposes of sections 4931.52 and 4931.53 of the Revised Code, "telephone company" means a wireline service provider.
Sec. 4931.41.  (A)(1) A countywide 9-1-1 system shall include all of the territory of the townships and municipal corporations in the county and any portion of such a municipal corporation that extends into an adjacent county.
(2) The system shall exclude any territory served by a telephone company wireline service provider that is not capable of reasonably meeting the technical and economic requirements of providing the wireline telephone network portion of the countywide system for that territory. The system shall exclude from enhanced 9-1-1 service any territory served by a telephone company wireline service provider that is not capable of reasonably meeting the technical and economic requirements of providing the wireline telephone network portion of an enhanced 9-1-1 service for that territory. If a 9-1-1 planning committee and a telephone company wireline service provider do not agree on whether the telephone company provider is so capable, the committee shall notify the public utilities commission, and the commission shall determine whether the company wireline service provider is so capable. The committee shall ascertain whether such disagreement exists before making its implementation proposal under division (A) of section 4931.43 of the Revised Code. The commission's determination shall be in the form of an order. No final plan shall require a telephone company wireline service provider to provide the wireline telephone network portion of a 9-1-1 system that the commission has determined the company provider is not reasonably capable of providing.
(B) A countywide 9-1-1 system may be a basic or enhanced 9-1-1 system, or a combination of the two, and shall be for the purpose of providing both wireline 9-1-1 and wireless 9-1-1.
(C) Every emergency service provider that provides emergency service within the territory of a countywide 9-1-1 system shall participate in the countywide system.
(D)(1) Each public safety answering point shall be operated by a subdivision and shall be operated constantly.
(2) A subdivision that operates a public safety answering point shall pay all of the costs associated with establishing, equipping, furnishing, operating, and maintaining that facility and shall allocate those costs among itself and the subdivisions served by the answering point based on the allocation formula in a final plan. The telephone company wireline service provider or other entity that provides or maintains the customer premises equipment shall bill the operating subdivision for the cost of providing such equipment, or its maintenance. A wireless service provider and a subdivision operating a public safety answering point may enter into a service agreement for providing wireless enhanced 9-1-1 pursuant to a final plan adopted under sections 4931.40 to 4931.71 of the Revised Code.
(E) Except to the extent provided in a final plan that provides for funding of a 9-1-1 system in part through charges imposed under section 4931.51 of the Revised Code, each subdivision served by a public safety answering point shall pay the subdivision that operates the answering point the amount computed in accordance with the allocation formula set forth in the final plan.
(F) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the purchase or other acquisition, installation, and maintenance of the telephone network for a 9-1-1 system and the purchase or other acquisition, the installation, and maintenance of customer premises equipment at a public safety answering point made in compliance with a final plan or an agreement under section 4931.48 of the Revised Code, including customer premises equipment used to provide wireless enhanced 9-1-1, are not subject to any requirement of competitive bidding.
(G) Each emergency service provider participating in a countywide 9-1-1 system shall maintain a telephone number in addition to 9-1-1.
(H) Whenever a final plan provides for the implementation of basic 9-1-1 service, the planning committee shall so notify the public utilities commission, which shall determine whether the telephone companies wireline service providers serving the territory covered by the plan are capable of reasonably meeting the technical and economic requirements of providing the wireline telephone network portion of an enhanced 9-1-1 system. The determination shall be made solely for purposes of division (C)(2)(a) of section 4931.47 of the Revised Code.
(I) If the public safety answering point personnel reasonably determine that a 9-1-1 call is not an emergency, the personnel, as applicable, shall provide the caller with the telephone number of the any appropriate emergency service provider subdivision agency.
(J) Nothing in sections 4931.40 to 4931.71 of the Revised Code precludes a final plan adopted in accordance with those sections from providing that, by agreement included in the plan, the state highway patrol or one or more public safety answering points of another countywide 9-1-1 system is the public safety answering point or points for the provision of wireless enhanced 9-1-1 for all or part of the territory of a countywide 9-1-1 system. In that event, the county for which the wireless enhanced 9-1-1 is provided shall be deemed the subdivision operating the public safety answering point or points for purposes of sections 4931.40 to 4931.71 of the Revised Code, except that, for the purpose of division (D)(2) of this section, the county shall pay only so much of the costs associated with establishing, equipping, furnishing, operating, or maintaining any such public safety answering point as are specified in the agreement.
Sec. 4931.43.  (A) The 9-1-1 planning committee shall prepare a proposal on the implementation of a countywide 9-1-1 system and shall hold a public meeting on the proposal to explain the system to and receive comments from public officials. At least thirty but not more than sixty days before the meeting, the committee shall send a copy of the implementation proposal and written notice of the meeting:
(1) By certified mail, to the board of county commissioners, the legislative authority of each municipal corporation in the county, and to the board of trustees of each township in the county; and
(2) To the board of trustees, directors, or park commissioners of each subdivision that will be served by a public safety answering point under the plan.
(B) The proposal and the final plan adopted by the committee shall specify:
(1) Which telephone companies serving customers in the county and, as authorized in division (A) of section 4931.42 of the Revised Code, in an adjacent county will participate in the 9-1-1 system;
(2) The location and number of public safety answering points; how they will be connected to a company's telephone network; from what geographic territory each will receive 9-1-1 calls; whether basic or enhanced 9-1-1 service will be provided within such territory; what subdivisions will be served by the answering point; and whether an answering point will respond to calls by directly dispatching an emergency service provider, by relaying a message to the appropriate provider, or by transferring the call to the appropriate provider;
(3) What subdivision will establish, equip, furnish, operate, and maintain each public safety answering point;
(4) A projection of the initial cost of establishing, equipping, and furnishing and of the annual cost of the first five years of operating and maintaining each public safety answering point;
(5) Whether the cost of establishing, equipping, furnishing, operating, or maintaining each public safety answering point should be funded through charges imposed under section 4931.51 of the Revised Code or will be allocated among the subdivisions served by the answering point and, if any such cost is to be allocated, the formula for so allocating it;
(6) How each emergency service provider will respond to a misdirected call.
(C) Following the meeting required by this section, the 9-1-1 planning committee may modify the implementation proposal and, no later than nine months after the resolution authorized by section 4931.41 4931.42 of the Revised Code is adopted, may adopt, by majority vote, adopt a final plan for implementing a countywide 9-1-1 system. If a planning committee and telephone company wireline service provider do not agree on whether the telephone company wireline service provider is capable of providing the wireline telephone network as described under division (A) of section 4931.41 of the Revised Code and the planning committee refers that question to the public utilities commission, the commission may extend the nine-month deadline established by this division to twelve months. Immediately on completion of the plan, the committee shall send a copy of the final plan:
(1) By certified mail to the board of county commissioners of the county, to the legislative authority of each municipal corporation in the county, and to the board of township trustees of each township in the county; and
(2) To the board of trustees, directors, or park commissioners of each subdivision that will be served by a public safety answering point under the plan.
(D) If the committee has not adopted a final plan on or before the deadline in division (C) of this section, the committee shall cease to exist. A new 9-1-1 planning committee may be convened in the manner established in section 4931.42 of the Revised Code to develop an implementation proposal and final plan in accordance with the requirements of sections 4931.42 to 4931.44 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 4931.44.  (A) Within sixty days after receipt of the final plan pursuant to division (C) of section 4931.43 of the Revised Code, the board of county commissioners of the county and the legislative authority of each municipal corporation in the county and of each township whose territory is proposed to be included in a countywide 9-1-1 system shall act by resolution to approve or disapprove the plan, except that, with respect to a final plan that provides for funding of the 9-1-1 system in part through charges imposed under section 4931.51 of the Revised Code, the board of county commissioners shall not act by resolution to approve or disapprove the plan until after a resolution adopted under section 4931.51 of the Revised Code has become effective as provided in division (D) of that section. A municipal corporation or township whose territory is proposed to be included in the system includes any municipal corporation or township in which a part of its territory is excluded pursuant to division (A)(2) of section 4931.41 of the Revised Code. Each such authority shall immediately shall notify the board of county commissioners in writing of its approval or disapproval of the final plan. Failure by a board or legislative authority to notify the board of county commissioners of approval or disapproval within such sixty-day period shall be deemed disapproval by such the board or authority.
(B) As used in this division, "county's population" excludes the population of any municipal corporation or township that, under the plan, is completely excluded from 9-1-1 service in the county's final plan. A countywide plan will become is effective if all of the following entities approve the plan in accordance with this section:
(1) The board of county commissioners;
(2) The legislative authority of a municipal corporation that contains at least thirty per cent of the county's population, if any;
(3) The legislative authorities of municipal corporations and townships that contain at least sixty per cent of the county's population or, if the plan has been approved by a municipal corporation that contains at least sixty per cent of the county's population, by the legislative authorities of municipal corporations and townships that contain at least seventy-five per cent of the county's population.
(C) After a countywide plan approved in accordance with this section is adopted, all of the telephone companies and subdivisions included in the plan are subject to the specific requirements of the plan and to sections 4931.40 to 4931.54 4931.70 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 4931.45.  (A) A An amended final plan may be amended to expand is required for any of the following purposes:
(1) Expanding the territory included in the countywide 9-1-1 system, to upgrade;
(2) Upgrading any part or all of a system from basic 9-1-1 to enhanced 9-1-1 service, to adjust;
(3) Adjusting the territory served by a public safety answering point, to represcribe;
(4) Represcribing the funding of public safety answering points as between the alternatives set forth in division (B)(5) of section 4931.43 of the Revised Code, or to make;
(5) Providing for wireless enhanced 9-1-1;
(6) Adding a telephone company as a participant in a countywide 9-1-1 system after the implementation of wireline 9-1-1 or wireless enhanced 9-1-1;
(7) Providing that the state highway patrol or one or more public safety answering points of another countywide 9-1-1 system function as a public safety answering point or points for the provision of wireless 9-1-1 for all or part of the territory of the system, as contemplated under division (J) of section 4931.41 of the Revised Code;
(8) Making any other necessary adjustments to the plan only by convening a new 9-1-1 planning committee, and adopting an amended final plan. The convening of a new 9-1-1 planning committee and the proposal and adoption of an amended final plan shall be made in the same manner required for the convening of an initial committee and adoption of an original proposed and final plan under sections 4931.42 to 4931.44 of the Revised Code. Adoption
The adoption of an amended final plan under this division shall be subject to, and accomplished in the manner of the adoption of an initial final plan under, sections 4931.42 to 4931.44 of the Revised Code, including the requirements for the convening of a 9-1-1 planning committee and development of a proposed plan prior to the adoption of the final plan. However, a final plan is deemed amended for the purpose described in division (A)(6) of this section upon the filing, with the board of county commissioners of the county that approved the final plan for the countywide 9-1-1 system, of a written letter of intent by the entity to be added as a participant in the 9-1-1 system. The entity shall send written notice of the filing to all subdivisions and telephone companies participating in the system. Further, adoption of any resolution under section 4931.51 of the Revised Code pursuant to a final plan that both has been adopted and provides for funding through charges imposed under that section is not an amendment of a final plan for the purpose of this division.
(B) When a final plan is amended to expand the territory that receives 9-1-1 service or to upgrade a 9-1-1 system from basic to enhanced 9-1-1 service for any purpose described in division (A)(1), (2), (5), or (6) of this section, the provisions of sections 4931.47 and 5727.39 of the Revised Code apply with respect to the telephone company's recovery of the nonrecurring and recurring rates and charges for the wireline telephone network portion of the 9-1-1 system.
Sec. 4931.46.  (A) Within three years from the date a an initial final plan becomes effective under division (B) of section 4931.44 of the Revised Code, the telephone companies wireline service providers designated in the plan shall have installed the wireline telephone network portion of the 9-1-1 system according to the terms, conditions, requirements, and specifications set forth in that plan.
(B)(1) Upon installation of a countywide 9-1-1 system, the board of county commissioners may direct the county engineer to erect and maintain at the county boundaries on county roads and state and interstate highways, signs indicating the availability of a countywide 9-1-1 system. Any sign erected by a county under this section shall be erected in accordance with and meet the specifications established under division (B)(2) of this section. All expenses incurred in erecting and maintaining the signs shall be paid by the county.
(2) The director of transportation shall develop design specifications for signs giving notice of the availability of a countywide 9-1-1 system. The director also shall establish standards for the erection of the signs and, in accordance with federal law and regulations and recognized engineering practices, specify those locations where the signs shall not be erected.
Sec. 4931.47.  (A) In accordance with Chapters 4901., 4903., 4905., 4909., and 4931. of the Revised Code, the public utilities commission shall determine the just, reasonable, and compensatory rates, tolls, classifications, charges, or rentals to be observed and charged for the wireline telephone network portion of a basic and or enhanced 9-1-1 system, and each telephone company that is a wireline service provider participating in the system shall be subject to such chapters, to the extent they apply, as to the service provided by its portion of the wireline telephone network for the system as described in the final plan or to be installed pursuant to agreements under section 4931.48 of the Revised Code, and as to the rates, tolls, classifications, charges, or rentals to be observed and charged for that service.
(B) Only the customers of a participating telephone company described in division (A) of this section that are served within the area covered by a 9-1-1 system shall pay the recurring rates for the maintenance and operation of the company's portion of the wireline telephone network in providing 9-1-1 service of the system. Such rates shall be computed by dividing the total monthly recurring rates set forth in a telephone the company's schedule as filed in accordance with section 4905.30 of the Revised Code, by the total number of residential and business customer access lines, or their equivalent, within the area served. Each residential and business customer within the area served shall pay the recurring rates based on the number of its residential and business customer access lines or their equivalent. No company may shall include such amount on any customer's bill until the company has completed its portion of the wireline telephone network in accordance with the terms, conditions, requirements, and specifications of the final plan or an agreement made under section 4931.48 of the Revised Code.
(C)(1) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(2)(a) or (b) of this section, a participating telephone company described in division (A) of this section may receive through the credit authorized by section 5733.55 of the Revised Code the total nonrecurring charges for its portion of the wireline telephone network used in providing 9-1-1 service, of the system, including wireless 9-1-1, and the total nonrecurring charges for any updating or modernization of that wireline telephone network in accordance with the terms, conditions, requirements, and specifications of the final plan or pursuant to agreements under section 4931.48 of the Revised Code, as any such charges are set forth in the schedule filed by a telephone company in accordance with section 4905.30 of the Revised Code, on completion of the installation of the network in accordance with the terms, conditions, requirements, and specifications of the final plan or pursuant to section 4931.48 of the Revised Code shall be recovered by the company through the credit authorized by section 5727.39 of the Revised Code. As applicable, the receipt of those charges shall occur only upon the completion of the installation of the network or the completion of the updating or modernization.
(2)(a) The credit shall not be allowed under division (C)(1) of this section for the upgrading of a system from basic to enhanced wireline 9-1-1 service when if both of the following apply:
(a)(i) The telephone company received the credit for the wireline telephone network portion of the basic 9-1-1 system now proposed to be upgraded; and.
(b)(ii) At the time the final plan or agreement pursuant to section 4931.48 of the Revised Code calling for the basic 9-1-1 system was agreed to, the telephone company was capable of reasonably meeting the technical and economic requirements of providing the wireline telephone network portion of an enhanced 9-1-1 system within the territory proposed to be upgraded, as determined by the public utilities commission under division (A) or (H) of section 4931.41 or division (C) of section 4931.48 of the Revised Code.
(b) The credit shall not be allowed under division (C)(1) of this section for any portion of the total nonrecurring charges for the wireline telephone network used in providing wireless 9-1-1, as set forth in the schedule filed by the telephone company in accordance with section 4905.30 of the Revised Code, to the extent the telephone company, in otherwise providing 9-1-1 service, previously received those charges through the credit authorized by section 5733.55 of the Revised Code, or receives or received those charges from a wireless service provider pursuant to a tariff or contract.
(3) When the credit is not allowed under division (C)(2)(a) of this section, the total nonrecurring charges for the wireline telephone network used in providing 9-1-1 service, as set forth in the schedule filed by a telephone company in accordance with section 4905.30 of the Revised Code, on completion of the installation of the network in accordance with the terms, conditions, requirements, and specifications of the final plan or pursuant to section 4931.48 of the Revised Code, shall be paid by the municipal corporations and townships with any territory in the area in which such upgrade from basic to enhanced 9-1-1 service is made.
(D) Where customer premises equipment for a public safety answering point is supplied by a telephone company that is required to file a schedule under section 4905.30 of the Revised Code pertaining to customer premises equipment, the recurring and nonrecurring rates and charges for the installation and maintenance of the equipment specified in the schedule shall apply.
Sec. 4931.48.  (A) If a final plan is disapproved under division (B) of section 4931.44 of the Revised Code, by resolution, the legislative authority of a municipal corporation or township that contains at least thirty per cent of the county's population may establish within its boundaries, or the legislative authorities of a group of municipal corporations or townships each of which is contiguous with at least one other such municipal corporation or township in the group, together containing at least thirty per cent of the county's population, may jointly establish within their boundaries a 9-1-1 system. For this that purpose, the municipal corporation or township may enter into an agreement, and the contiguous municipal corporations or townships may jointly enter into an agreement with a one or more telephone company providing service in the municipal corporations or townships to provide for the telephone network portion of the system companies.
(B) If no resolution has been adopted to convene a 9-1-1 planning committee under section 4931.42 of the Revised Code, but not sooner than eighteen months after the effective date of such section, by resolution, the legislative authority of any municipal corporation in the county may establish within its boundaries, or the legislative authorities of a group of municipal corporations and townships each of which is contiguous to at least one of the other such municipal corporations or townships in the group may jointly establish within their boundaries, a 9-1-1 system. The For that purpose, the municipal corporation, or contiguous municipal corporations and townships, may enter into an agreement with a one or more telephone company serving customers within the boundaries of the municipal corporation or contiguous municipal corporations and townships, to provide for the telephone network portion of a 9-1-1 system companies.
(C) Whenever a telephone company that is a wireline service provider and one or more municipal corporations and townships enter into an agreement under division (A) or (B) of this section to provide for the wireline telephone network portion of a basic 9-1-1 system, the telephone company shall so notify the public utilities commission, which shall determine whether the telephone company is capable of reasonably meeting the technical and economic requirements of providing the wireline telephone network for an enhanced system within the territory served by the company and covered by the agreement. The determination shall be made solely for the purposes of division (C)(2) of section 4931.47 of the Revised Code.
(D) Within three years from the date of entering into an initial agreement under division (A) or (B) (C) of this section, the telephone company shall have installed the wireline telephone network portion of the 9-1-1 system according to the terms, conditions, requirements, and specifications set forth in the agreement.
(E) The A telephone company that is a wireline service provider shall recover the cost of installing the wireline telephone network system pursuant to agreements made under this section as provided in sections 4931.47 and 5727.39 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 4931.49.  (A)(1) The state, the state highway patrol, or a subdivision participating in a 9-1-1 system established under sections 4931.40 to 4931.71 of the Revised Code or in any other public safety calling or alerting system under contract with state or local government and any officer, agent, or employee, or independent contractor of the state, the state highway patrol, or such a participating subdivision is not liable in damages in a civil action for injuries, death, or loss to persons or property arising from any act or omission, except willful or wanton misconduct, in connection with developing, adopting, or approving any final plan or any agreement made under section 4931.48 of the Revised Code or otherwise bringing into operation a the 9-1-1 system pursuant to those provisions sections 4931.40 to 4931.71 of the Revised Code.
(2) The Ohio 9-1-1 council, the wireless 9-1-1 advisory group, and any member of that council or group are not liable in damages in a civil action for injuries, death, or loss to persons or property arising from any act or omission, except willful or wanton misconduct, in connection with the development or operation of a 9-1-1 system established under sections 4931.40 to 4931.71 of the Revised Code.
(B) Except as otherwise provided in sections 701.02 and section 4765.49 of the Revised Code, an individual who gives emergency instructions through a 9-1-1 system established under sections 4931.40 to 4931.54 4931.71 of the Revised Code or through any other public safety calling or alerting system under contract with state or local government, and the principals for whom the person acts, including both employers and independent contractors, public and private, and an individual who follows emergency instructions and the principals for whom that person acts, including both employers and independent contractors, public and private, are not liable in damages in a civil action for injuries, death, or loss to persons or property arising from the issuance or following of emergency instructions, except where the issuance or following of the instructions constitutes willful or wanton misconduct.
(C) A telephone company, and any other installer, maintainer, or provider, through the sale or otherwise, of customer premises equipment, and their respective officers, directors, employees, agents, and suppliers are not liable in damages in a civil action for injuries, death, or loss to persons or property incurred by any person resulting from such an entity's or its officers', directors', employees', agents', or suppliers' participation in or acts or omissions in connection with that participation participating in or developing, maintaining, or operating a 9-1-1 system, whether that system is established pursuant to sections 4931.40 to 4931.54 4931.71 of the Revised Code or otherwise in accordance with the telephone company's schedules regarding 9-1-1 systems filed with the public utilities commission pursuant to section 4905.30 of the Revised Code by a telephone company that is a wireline service provider; or in connection with participating in or developing, maintaining, or operating any other public safety calling or alerting system under contract with state or local government.
(D) No person shall knowingly use the telephone number of the a 9-1-1 system established under sections 4931.40 to 4931.71 of the Revised Code or of any other public safety calling or alerting system under contract with state or local government to report an emergency if the person knows that no emergency exists.
(E) No person shall knowingly use a 9-1-1 system, or any other public safety calling or alerting system under contract with state or local government, for a purpose other than obtaining emergency service.
(F) No person shall disclose or use, for any purpose other than for the 9-1-1 system, any information concerning telephone numbers, addresses, or names obtained from the data base that serves the public safety answering point of a 9-1-1 system established under sections 4931.40 to 4931.54 4931.71 of the Revised Code, except that for any of the following purposes or under any of the following circumstances:
(1) For the purpose of the 9-1-1 system;
(2) For the purpose of another public safety calling or alerting system under contract with state or local government;
(3) For the purpose of responding to an emergency call to an emergency service provider;
(4) In the circumstance of the inadvertent disclosure of such information due solely to technology of the wireline telephone network portion of the 9-1-1 system not allowing access to the data base to be restricted to 9-1-1 specific answering lines at a public safety answering point;
(5) In the circumstance of assistance given by a telephone company may disclose or use such information that is a wireline service provider to assist a public utility or municipal utility in handling customer calls in times of public emergency or service outages. The charge, terms, and conditions for the disclosure or use of such information by the telephone company for the purpose of such assistance shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the public utilities commission. In no event shall such information be disclosed or used for any purpose not permitted by this division.
Sec. 4931.50. (A) The attorney general, upon request of the public utilities commission or on the attorney general's own initiative, shall begin proceedings against a subdivision or telephone company that is a wireline service provider to enforce compliance with sections 4931.40 to 4931.54 4931.71 of the Revised Code, or with the terms, conditions, requirements, or specifications of a final plan or of an agreement under section 4931.48 of the Revised Code as to wireline or wireless 9-1-1.
(B) The attorney general, upon the attorney general's own initiative, or any prosecutor, upon the prosecutor's initiative, shall begin proceedings against a subdivision as to wireline or wireless 9-1-1 to enforce compliance with sections 4931.40 to 4931.71 of the Revised Code or with the terms, conditions, requirements, or specifications of a final plan or of an agreement under section 4931.48 of the Revised Code as to wireline or wireless 9-1-1.
Sec. 4931.60.  There is hereby created in the department of public safety the 9-1-1 services program, headed by an Ohio 9-1-1 coordinator in the unclassified civil service pursuant to division (A)(9) of section 124.11 of the Revised Code. The coordinator shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the governor and shall report directly to the director of public safety. In making the appointment, the governor shall consider nominees proposed by the Ohio 9-1-1 council pursuant to section 4931.69 of the Revised Code, but may request the council to submit additional nominees and may reject any of the nominees. The director of public safety shall fix the compensation of the coordinator. The performance of the coordinator shall be evaluated by the director after considering the evaluation and recommendations of the council under section 4931.69 of the Revised Code.
The Ohio 9-1-1 coordinator shall administer the wireless 9-1-1 service funds under sections 4931.60 to 4931.71 of the Revised Code and otherwise carry out the coordinator's duties under those sections. The director of public safety may establish additional duties of the coordinator based on a list of recommended duties submitted by the Ohio 9-1-1 council pursuant to section 4931.69 of the Revised Code. The director may assign one or more employees of the department to assist the coordinator in carrying out the coordinator's duties. Additionally, the public utilities commission shall provide the coordinator with any technical assistance the coordinator requests in carrying out those duties.
Sec. 4931.61. (A) As used in sections 4931.61 to 4931.71 of the Revised Code, "effective date of the wireless 9-1-1 charge" means, as applicable, the first day of the third month following the effective date of sections 4931.40 to 4931.71 of the Revised Code as amended or enacted by .B. of the 125th general assembly; the first day of the respective budget biennium for which the Ohio 9-1-1 coordinator submits a recommendation under section 4931.70 of the Revised Code; or the first day of the third month following the effective date of an act adjusting the amount of the wireless 9-1-1 charge, unless the act establishes another effective date for the adjustment.
(B) Beginning on the effective date of the wireless 9-1-1 charge, there is hereby imposed, on each wireless telephone number of a wireless service subscriber who has a billing address in this state, a wireless 9-1-1 charge in such amount per month as is prescribed pursuant to section 4931.71 of the Revised Code. The subscriber shall pay the wireless 9-1-1 charge for each such wireless telephone number assigned to the subscriber. Each wireless service provider and each reseller of wireless service shall collect the wireless 9-1-1 charge from its subscribers as part of the wireless provider's or reseller's monthly billing process and as a separate line item on the monthly bill and shall designate that the charge is a charge for wireless enhanced 9-1-1. However, for any subscriber of prepaid wireless service, the wireless service provider or reseller shall collect the charge at the point of sale or, if the subscriber has a positive account balance on the last day of the month, shall collect the charge by reducing the subscriber's account at the end of each such month by the amount of the charge or an equivalent number of air time minutes.
(C) The wireless 9-1-1 charge shall be exempt from state or local taxation.
Sec. 4931.62. (A)(1) Beginning with the second month following the month in which the wireless 9-1-1 charge is first imposed under section 4931.61 of the Revised Code, a wireless service provider or reseller of wireless service, not later than the last day of each month, shall remit the full amount of all wireless 9-1-1 charges it collected for the second preceding calendar month to the Ohio 9-1-1 coordinator, with the exception of charges equivalent to the amount authorized as a billing and collection fee under division (A)(2) of this section. In doing so, the provider or reseller may remit the requisite amount in any reasonable manner consistent with its existing operating or technological capabilities, such as by customer address, location associated with the wireless telephone number, or another allocation method based on comparable, relevant data. If the wireless service provider or reseller receives a partial payment for a bill from a wireless service subscriber, the wireless service provider or reseller shall apply the payment first against the amount the subscriber owes the wireless service provider or reseller and shall remit to the coordinator such lesser amount, if any, as results from that invoice.
(2) A wireless service provider or reseller of wireless service may retain as a billing and collection fee two per cent of the total wireless 9-1-1 charges it collects in any month and shall account to the coordinator for the amount retained.
(B) Each subscriber on which a wireless 9-1-1 charge is imposed under division (B) of section 4931.61 of the Revised Code is liable to the state for the amount so billed. If a wireless service provider or reseller fails to collect a charge as required by that division, the wireless service provider or reseller is liable to the state for the amount not collected. If a wireless service provider or reseller collects charges under that division and fails to remit the money to the coordinator, the wireless service provider or reseller is liable to the state for any amount collected and not remitted.
(C)(1) Based upon information in the tax commissioner's possession, the tax commissioner may make an assessment against any provider or reseller described in division (B) of this section that fails to collect or remit the wireless 9-1-1 charge as required by this section. The tax commissioner shall give the assessed party written notice of the assessment in the manner provided in section 5703.37 of the Revised Code. With the notice, the tax commissioner shall provide instructions on how to petition for reassessment and how to request a hearing on the petition. An assessment does not discharge a subscriber's liability to reimburse the provider or reseller for the wireless 9-1-1 charge.
(2) When information in the possession of the tax commissioner indicates that the amount required to be collected or remitted is greater than the amount remitted by the provider or reseller, the tax commissioner may audit a sample of the provider's or reseller's collections and remittances for a representative period and may issue an assessment based on that audit. The tax commissioner shall make a good faith effort to reach agreement with the provider or reseller in selecting a representative sample. The tax commissioner may issue an assessment for any remittance that was due and unpaid on the date the provider or reseller was informed of the audit by an agent of the tax commissioner. If, after the provider or reseller was informed of the audit, a subscriber pays a wireless 9-1-1 charge for the period covered by the assessment, the payment shall be credited against the assessment.
(3) The portion of any assessment not paid within sixty days after the date of service of the assessment notice shall bear interest from that date until paid at the rate per annum prescribed by section 5703.47 of the Revised Code. Interest shall be remitted in the same manner as the wireless 9-1-1 charge and may be collected by making an assessment under this division.
(4) An assessment is final and due and payable to the treasurer of state and shall be remitted to the tax commissioner, unless the assessed party, either personally or by certified mail within sixty days after the date of service of the assessment notice, files with the tax commissioner a written petition for reassessment, signed by the party or its authorized agent having knowledge of the facts. The petition shall indicate the objections of the assessed party, but additional objections may be raised in writing if received by the tax commissioner prior to the date shown on the final determination. If the petition has been properly filed, the tax commissioner shall proceed in a manner consistent with section 5703.60 of the Revised Code.
(5) After an assessment becomes final, if any portion of the assessment remains unpaid, including accrued interest, a certified copy of the tax commissioner's entry making the assessment final may be filed in the office of the clerk of the court of common pleas in the county in which the place of business of the assessed party is located. If the party maintains no place of business in this state, the certified copy of the entry may be filed in the office of the clerk of the court of common pleas of Franklin county. Immediately upon the filing, the clerk shall enter a judgment for the state against the assessed party in the amount shown on the entry. The judgment may be filed by the clerk in a loose-leaf book entitled "special judgments for wireless 9-1-1 charges" and shall have the same effect as other judgments. The judgment shall be executed upon the request of the tax commissioner.
(6) All money collected by the tax commissioner under this division shall be paid to the treasurer of state, for deposit to the credit of the wireless 9-1-1 service funds.
Sec. 4931.63.  (A) There is hereby created the wireless 9-1-1 administrative fund in the state treasury. A sufficient percentage, determined by the Ohio 9-1-1 coordinator but not to exceed two per cent, of the periodic remittances of the wireless 9-1-1 charge to the coordinator under section 4931.62 of the Revised Code shall be deposited to the credit of the fund, to be used by the director of public safety to cover such nonpayroll costs and, at the discretion of the director such payroll costs, of the department of public safety as are incurred in assisting the coordinator in carrying out sections 4931.60 to 4931.71 of the Revised Code. In addition, the compensation and expenses of the coordinator shall be paid from the fund.
(B) There are hereby created the wireless 9-1-1 government assistance fund and the wireless 9-1-1 service provider reimbursement fund, both of which shall be in the custody of the treasurer of state but shall not be part of the state treasury. Except as otherwise provided under division (C)(2) of section 4931.71 of the Revised Code, one-half of the periodic remittances of the wireless 9-1-1 charge to the Ohio 9-1-1 coordinator pursuant to section 4931.62 of the Revised Code, remaining after the deposit required by division (A) of this section, shall be deposited to the credit of the wireless 9-1-1 government assistance fund and the wireless 9-1-1 service provider reimbursement fund, respectively. The treasurer of state shall deposit or invest the moneys in these funds in accordance with Chapter 135. of the Revised Code and any other provision of law governing public moneys of the state as defined in section 135.01 of the Revised Code. The treasurer of state shall credit the interest earned to the respective fund. The treasurer of state shall disburse money from the funds solely upon order of the coordinator as authorized under sections 4931.64 and 4931.66 of the Revised Code. Annually, the treasurer of state shall certify to the coordinator the amount of moneys in the treasurer of state's custody belonging to each fund.
Sec. 4931.64. (A) Prior to the first disbursement under this section and annually not later than the twenty-fifth day of July thereafter, the Ohio 9-1-1 coordinator shall do all of the following:
(1) Determine, for the county, the number of wireless telephone numbers assigned to wireless service subscribers who have billing addresses within each countywide 9-1-1 system;
(2) To the extent that the state highway patrol operates within all or part of a county as a public safety answering point for wireless 9-1-1 calls, not pursuant to a final plan under section 4931.44 of the Revised Code or an agreement under division (J) of section 4931.42 of the Revised Code but by default solely due to a wireless service provider so routing all such calls of its subscribers without prior permission, determine for the state highway patrol the number of wireless telephone numbers assigned to wireless service subscribers of that wireless service provider who have billing addresses within the county. Such numbers shall not be counted under division (A)(1) of this section.
(3) Determine under that circumstance the state highway patrol's, and under division (A)(1) of this section each such county's, proportionate share of the wireless 9-1-1 government assistance fund for the ensuing calendar year on the basis set forth in division (B) of this section; estimate the ensuing calendar year's fund balance; compute each such county's estimated proceeds for the ensuing calendar year based on its proportionate share and the estimated fund balance; and certify such amount of proceeds to the county auditor of each such county.
(B)(1) The Ohio 9-1-1 coordinator, not later than the last day of each month, shall disburse the amount credited as remittances to the wireless 9-1-1 government assistance fund during the second preceding month, plus any accrued interest on the fund except interest accrued on set aside moneys under division (B)(2) of this section. The disbursement shall be paid to each county treasurer, and to the state treasurer in the case of a disbursement to the state highway patrol as provided under division (A)(2) of this section.
For the first three years of disbursements, except as provided under division (B)(2) of this section, the amount to be so disbursed monthly shall be a proportionate share of the wireless 9-1-1 government assistance fund balance based on the ratio between the following:
(a) As determined for each county or for the state highway patrol by the Ohio 9-1-1 coordinator pursuant to division (A) of section 4931.67 of the Revised Code, the number of wireless telephone numbers assigned to wireless service subscribers who have billing addresses within the respective countywide 9-1-1 system during the second preceding month or, for the state highway patrol, within the county during such month; and
(b) The total number of wireless telephone numbers assigned to subscribers who have billing addresses within this state. However, the disbursement for each county and the state highway patrol shall not be less than twenty-five thousand dollars annually.
After that time, only each county that has adopted a final plan for countywide provision of wireless enhanced 9-1-1, and the state highway patrol as provided under division (A)(2) of this section, shall receive a monthly disbursement in the amount of a proportionate share of the fund balance based on the ratio between the number of wireless telephone numbers assigned to wireless service subscribers who have billing addresses within the countywide 9-1-1 system or, for the state highway patrol, within the county, as such number is determined by the coordinator pursuant to division (A) of section 4931.67 of the Revised Code, and the total number of wireless telephone numbers assigned to subscribers who have billing addresses within all such countywide systems and counties.
(2) The coordinator shall not make a disbursement under division (B)(1) of this section to a county for which a final plan for the countywide provision of wireless enhanced 9-1-1 has not been adopted in accordance with sections 4931.40 to 4931.71 of the Revised Code but instead shall retain in the wireless 9-1-1 government assistance fund an amount equal to what would be the county's disbursement, to be set aside for that county for the first three years of disbursements under division (B)(1) of this section and until notification to the coordinator that a final plan for the provision of countywide wireless enhanced 9-1-1 has been adopted in accordance with sections 4931.40 to 4931.71 of the Revised Code. Upon that notification, the coordinator shall disburse and pay to the county treasurer the total amount so accrued for the county plus any interest accrued on the amount set aside. Any moneys and interest so retained and not disbursed by the end of the third year of disbursements under division (B)(1) of this section shall be disbursed pursuant to that division to each county for which a final plan for the countywide provision of wireless enhanced 9-1-1 has been adopted in accordance with sections 4931.40 to 4931.71 of the Revised Code.
(3)(a) Immediately upon receipt by a county treasurer of a disbursement under division (B)(1) or (2) of this section, the county shall disburse, in accordance with the allocation formula set forth in the final plan, the amount the county so received to those subdivisions in the county that pay the costs of a public safety answering point providing wireless enhanced 9-1-1 under the plan.
(b) Immediately upon receipt by the state treasurer of a disbursement under division (B)(1) of this section, the state treasurer shall deposit the disbursement to the credit of the SHP wireless 9-1-1 fund, which is hereby created in the state treasury, to be used by the state highway patrol for the purpose of paying any costs of a public safety answering point it operates as described in division (A)(2) of section 4931.64 of the Revised Code that otherwise would be eligible costs under division (A) or (B) of section 4931.65 of the Revised Code.
(C) Nothing in sections 4931.40 to 4931.71 of the Revised Code affects the authority of a subdivision operating or served by a public safety answering point of a countywide 9-1-1 system to use, as provided in the final plan for the system, any other authorized revenue of the subdivision for the purposes of providing wireline 9-1-1 or wireless 9-1-1 through the system.
Sec. 4931.65.  The countywide 9-1-1 system of each county receiving a disbursement under division (B) of section 4931.64 of the Revised Code shall provide countywide wireless enhanced 9-1-1 in accordance with sections 4931.40 to 4931.71 of the Revised Code, beginning as soon as reasonably possible after receipt of the first disbursement under division (B) of section 4931.64 of the Revised Code, or if that service is already implemented, shall continue to provide such service. A disbursement under division (B)(3) of section 4931.64 of the Revised Code shall be used solely for the purpose of paying any of the following:
(A) Any costs of designing, upgrading, purchasing, leasing, programming, installing, testing, or maintaining the necessary data, hardware, software, and trunking required for the public safety answering point or points of the 9-1-1 system to provide wireless enhanced 9-1-1, which costs are incurred before or on or after the effective date of this section and consist of such additional costs of the 9-1-1 system over and above any costs incurred to provide wireline 9-1-1;
(B) Any costs of staffing, and training staff of, the public safety answering points of the 9-1-1 system, which costs result from the answering, routing, or proper disposition of wireless 9-1-1 calls, are incurred before or on or after the effective date of this section, and consist of such additional costs of the 9-1-1 system over and above any costs incurred to provide wireline 9-1-1.
The costs described in divisions (A) and (B) of this section may include any such costs payable pursuant to an agreement under division (J) of section 4931.41 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 4931.66.  (A) In accordance with this section, the Ohio 9-1-1 coordinator shall authorize payment of a specified amount of moneys from the wireless 9-1-1 service provider reimbursement fund to a wireless service provider that submits an invoice to the coordinator. The invoice shall contain an itemization of those eligible costs the wireless service provider incurred before or on or after the effective date of this section, either directly or through contractors, to comply with 47 C.F.R. 20.18 (d) to (h) and for which the wireless service provider is seeking reimbursement pursuant to the invoice. Eligible costs under this section consist only of the costs to the wireless service provider of upgrading, purchasing, maintaining, programming, or installing any necessary data, hardware, or software, and any associated administrative costs and overhead, and exclude any profit or other return on investment. The invoice submitted to the coordinator shall be accompanied both by adequate supporting documentation of the eligible costs for which the wireless service provider is seeking reimbursement, including a copy of the wireless service provider's acknowledgement of the governmental request for wireless enhanced 9-1-1 that generated those costs, and by a certification signed by an officer of the wireless service provider or the officer's designee as to both of the following:
(1) The total amount of costs shown on the invoice represents such eligible costs as the wireless service provider incurred before or on or after the effective date of this section, either directly or through contractors, to comply with 47 C.F.R. 20.18(d) to (h).
(2) The total amount of costs shown on the invoice does not exceed one hundred twenty-five per cent of the total amount of those wireless 9-1-1 charges both remitted by the wireless service provider to the coordinator under section 4931.62 of the Revised Code in the second month preceding the month in which the invoice is submitted and credited to the wireless 9-1-1 service provider reimbursement fund under section 4931.63 of the Revised Code; or the wireless service provider has received prior written approval under division (D)(3) of section 4931.70 of the Revised Code to submit an invoice that exceeds that cap.
(B) Except as otherwise provided in division (C) of this section, payment to a wireless service provider under this section shall be made not later than one month after the date on which the coordinator receives from the wireless service provider a certified invoice and adequate supporting documentation in compliance with division (A) of this section and with any rules adopted under section 4931.68 of the Revised Code. The coordinator shall not establish by rule or otherwise any other standard for or condition regarding payment.
The amount authorized for payment to a wireless service provider under this section and so paid shall equal the total amount of costs shown on the invoice as certified unless the total amount of all certified invoices submitted to the coordinator in a given month exceeds the amount in the wireless 9-1-1 service provider reimbursement fund. In that case, payment shall be subject to both of the following conditions:
(1) The amount authorized for reimbursement to a particular wireless service provider shall be a pro rata share of the wireless 9-1-1 service provider reimbursement fund balance at the time of payment, based on the total dollar amount of the wireless service provider's certified invoice relative to the total dollar amount of all certified invoices submitted that month.
(2) The balance of the certified invoices shall be carried forward to the following month or months, as necessary, until all of the authorized reimbursements are made, with any such later payment subject to the payment of interest at the rate prescribed in section 126.30 of the Revised Code.
(C) The coordinator shall deny reimbursement to a wireless service provider if the coordinator determines that the provider has failed to submit the certification required by division (A)(1) of this section and shall deny reimbursement of a particular itemized cost if the coordinator, in consultation with the wireless 9-1-1 advisory board, determines that it is not an eligible cost specified in division (A) of this section or it lacks adequate supporting documentation. Denial of reimbursement based on either of the latter two determinations is subject to adjudication under sections 119.01 to 119.13 of the Revised Code. Payment of any reimbursement as a result of such adjudication shall be within one month after the date of issuance of a decision in the adjudication and shall be subject to divisions (B)(1) and (2) of this section.
(D) In carrying out divisions (A) to (C) of this section, the Ohio 9-1-1 coordinator shall ensure that no wireless service provider is reimbursed for a cost for which any wireless service provider has already been reimbursed in the case of wireless enhanced 9-1-1 technology shared by two or more wireless service providers.
(E) A certification submitted under this section is a statement for the purpose of division (A)(4) of section 2921.13 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 4931.67.  (A)(1) A wireless service provider, and each subdivision operating one or more public safety answering points for a countywide system providing wireless 9-1-1, shall provide the Ohio 9-1-1 coordinator with such information as the coordinator requests for the purposes of carrying out the coordinator's duties under sections 4931.60 to 4931.71 of the Revised Code, including, but not limited to, duties regarding the collection of the wireless 9-1-1 charge and regarding the provision of a report under division (B) of section 4931.71 of the Revised Code.
(2) A wireless service provider shall provide an official, employee, agent, or representative of a subdivision operating a public safety answering point, or of the state highway patrol as described in division (A)(2) of section 4931.64 of the Revised Code, with such technical, service, and location information as the official, employee, agent, or representative requests for the purpose of providing wireless 9-1-1 pursuant to sections 4931.40 to 4931.71 of the Revised Code.
(3) A subdivision operating one or more public safety answering points of a 9-1-1 system, and a telephone company, shall provide to the Ohio 9-1-1 council such information as the council requires for the purpose of making any recommendation or report pursuant to division (D)(2) of section 4931.69 of the Revised Code.
(B)(1) Any information provided under division (A) of this section that consists of trade secrets as defined in section 1333.61 of the Revised Code or of information regarding the customers, revenues, expenses, or network information of a telephone company shall be confidential and does not constitute a public record for the purpose of section 149.43 of the Revised Code.
(2) The director of public safety, the Ohio 9-1-1 coordinator, and any official, employee, agent, or representative of the director or coordinator, of the state highway patrol or another law enforcement agency functioning as a public safety answering point, or of a subdivision operating a public safety answering point, while acting or claiming to act in the capacity of the director or coordinator or such official, employee, agent, or representative, shall not disclose any information provided under division (A) of this section regarding a telephone company's customers, revenues, expenses, or network information. Nothing in division (B)(1) of this section precludes any such information from being aggregated and included in any report required under division (D)(2) of section 4931.69 of the Revised Code or division (B) of section 4931.71 of the Revised Code, provided the aggregated information does not identify the number of any particular company's customers or the amount of its revenues or expenses or identify a particular company as to any network information.
Sec. 4931.68.  The director of public safety, in consultation with the Ohio 9-1-1 coordinator, shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code to carry out sections 4931.60 to 4931.71 of the Revised Code, including rules concerning the disbursement of moneys from the wireless 9-1-1 government assistance fund and the wireless 9-1-1 service provider reimbursement fund and specifying what constitutes adequate supporting documentation under division (A) of section 4931.66 of the Revised Code; rules prescribing the necessary accounting for a wireless service provider's or reseller's billing and collection fee under division (B)(2) of section 4931.62 of the Revised Code; and rules establishing a fair and reasonable process for recommending the amount of the wireless 9-1-1 charge as authorized under division (B) of section 4931.71 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 4931.69.  (A) There is hereby created the Ohio 9-1-1 council, consisting of eleven members as follows: the Ohio 9-1-1 coordinator; a designee of the public utilities commission, selected by the commission chairperson; and nine members appointed by the governor. In appointing the nine members, the governor shall select one representative of public safety communications officials in this state, one representative of administrators of 9-1-1 service in this state, one representative of countywide 9-1-1 systems in this state, three representatives of wireline service providers in this state, and three representatives of wireless service providers in this state. For each such appointment, the governor shall consider a nominee proposed, respectively, by the Ohio chapter of the association of public-safety communications officials, the Ohio chapter of the national emergency number association, the county commissioners association of Ohio; and nominees proposed, respectively, by the Ohio telecommunications industry association and the wireless operators of Ohio; or any successor organization of each such entity.
Initial appointments shall be made not later than thirty days after the effective date of this section. Nothing in this section shall prevent the governor from rejecting any of the nominees or requesting that a nominating entity under this division submit the names of alternative nominees for consideration.
(B) The term of the initial appointee to the council representing public safety communications officials and the terms of one of the initial appointees representing wireline service providers and one representing wireless service providers shall expire on January 31, 2007. The term of the initial appointee to the council representing administrators of 9-1-1 service and the terms of another one of the initial appointees representing wireline service providers and another representing wireless service providers shall expire on January 31, 2008. The term of the initial appointee to the council representing countywide 9-1-1 systems and the terms of another one of the initial appointees representing wireline service providers and another representing wireless service providers shall expire on January 31, 2009. Thereafter, terms of appointed members shall be for three years, with each term ending on the same day of the same month as the term it succeeds.
Each council member shall hold office from the date of the member's appointment until the end of the term for which the member was appointed. Members may be reappointed.
Vacancies shall be filled in the manner provided for original appointments. Any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration date of the term for which the member's predecessor was appointed shall hold office as a member for the remainder of that term. A member shall continue in office after the expiration date of the member's term until the member's successor takes office or until a period of sixty days has elapsed, whichever occurs first.
Appointed members shall serve without compensation and shall not be reimbursed for expenses.
(C) The council shall select a chairperson from among the appointed members. Each appointed member shall have one vote in all deliberations of the council. The Ohio 9-1-1 coordinator shall be a voting member of the council only in the case of a tie but shall not be eligible to vote on a matter described in division (D)(3) of this section. A majority of the voting members constitutes a quorum.
(D) The duties of the council shall consist of all of the following:
(1) Arbitrating or establishing relative to 9-1-1 systems in this state nondiscriminatory, competitively neutral, and uniform technical and operational standards consistent with recognized industry standards and federal law. This authority does not include authority to prescribe the technology that a telephone company or reseller uses to deliver 9-1-1 calls.
(2) Conducting research and providing to the Ohio 9-1-1 coordinator, including, as necessary, for the purpose of the coordinator reporting to the general assembly, recommendations or reports regarding any wireline and wireless 9-1-1 issues, any improvements in the provision of service by 9-1-1 systems in this state, or any legislation or policies concerning such systems;
(3) Regarding the position of Ohio 9-1-1 coordinator, submitting names of nominees and recommended duties as authorized under section 4931.60 of the Revised Code and, at least biennially, conducting and submitting with recommendations to the director of public safety a performance evaluation of the coordinator.
(E) The council is not an agency, as defined in section 101.82 of the Revised Code, for purposes of sections 101.82 to 101.87 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 4931.70.  (A) There is hereby created the wireless 9-1-1 advisory group, consisting of the Ohio 9-1-1 coordinator, the Ohio 9-1-1 council appointee that represents public safety communications officials, and five members appointed by the governor as follows: one of the council appointees that represents wireless service providers in this state, whose council term expires after the council term of the council appointee representing public safety communications officials, one noncouncil representative of wireless service providers in this state, one noncouncil representative of public safety communications officials in this state, and two noncouncil representatives of municipal and county governments in this state.
(B) The terms of the advisory group members who are also council members shall be concurrent with their terms as members of the council, as prescribed under division (B) of section 4931.69 of the Revised Code. The terms of the initial noncouncil appointee to the advisory group who represents wireless service providers and of one of the initial noncouncil appointees who represents municipal and county government shall expire on January 31, 2009. The terms of the initial noncouncil appointee to the advisory group representing public safety communications officials and of the other initial noncouncil appointee representing municipal and county government shall expire on January 31, 2010. Thereafter, terms of the noncouncil appointees shall be for three years, with each term ending on the same day of the same month as the term it succeeds. The conditions of holding office, manner of filling vacancies, and other matters concerning service by any member of the advisory group shall be the same as set forth for council members under division (B) of section 4931.69 of the Revised Code.
(C) The Ohio 9-1-1 coordinator shall be the chairperson of the advisory group. Each member of the group shall be a voting member and shall have one vote in all deliberations of the group except that the chairperson shall vote only in the case of a tie. Excluding the coordinator, a majority of the members constitutes a quorum.
(D)(1) The advisory group, excluding the Ohio 9-1-1 coordinator, shall make a recommendation regarding the amount of the wireless 9-1-1 charge or the proportion of the remittances to be credited to each fund under division (B) of section 4931.63 of the Revised Code, or both, to be included by the coordinator in the report required by division (B) of section 4931.71 of the Revised Code, and consult with the coordinator regarding that report;
(2) The advisory group, excluding the coordinator, shall make recommendations to and consult with the director of public safety and the coordinator regarding any rules to be adopted under section 4931.68 of the Revised Code.
(3) The advisory group shall provide written approval, on the basis of good cause shown, of the submission of an invoice under division (A)(3) of section 4931.66 of the Revised Code for an amount that exceeds the cap specified in that division.
(E) The advisory group is not an agency, as defined in section 101.82 of the Revised Code, for purposes of sections 101.82 to 101.87 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 4931.71.  (A) Except as otherwise provided in division (C) of this section, the wireless 9-1-1 charge shall be sixty-five cents per month.
(B) Prior to the beginning of each budget biennium, the Ohio 9-1-1 coordinator shall submit a report to the general assembly, in accordance with section 101.68 of the Revised Code, that contains both of the following:
(1) For the current biennium, a review of the implementation and provision of wireless enhanced 9-1-1 in this state and a description of how moneys disbursed from the wireless 9-1-1 service funds have been used. In preparing this portion of the report, the coordinator shall consult with the wireless 9-1-1 advisory group.
(2) The coordinator's recommendations of the wireless 9-1-1 charge and the proportion of the remittances to be credited to each fund created under division (B) of section 4931.63 of the Revised Code, to apply in the coming budget biennium. With respect to this recommendation, the report shall explain in sufficient detail the bases for the recommended amount of the wireless 9-1-1 charge and for the recommended crediting of remittances. The recommendations shall reflect the minimum amount necessary during the coming budget biennium, given any balance in the wireless 9-1-1 government assistance fund to be carried over to that biennium and the projected revenue from the charge, to fully cover the costs described in section 4931.65 of the Revised Code as projected for that biennium and, given any balance in the wireless 9-1-1 service provider reimbursement fund to be so carried over and the projected revenue from the charge, to provide for full reimbursement of the costs described in section 4931.66 of the Revised Code as projected for that period. The amount also shall reflect the minimum amount necessary for the wireless 9-1-1 charge to cover the costs described in division (A) of section 4931.63 of the Revised Code as projected for the biennium, given the wireless 9-1-1 administrative fund balance to be carried over, and the costs described in division (B)(3)(b) of section 4931.64 of the Revised Code, given the SHP wireless 9-1-1 fund balance to be carried over. In making a recommendation under division (B)(2) of this section, the coordinator shall consider any recommendation of the wireless 9-1-1 advisory group authorized under division (D)(1) of section 4931.70 of the Revised Code.
(C)(1)(a) If the Ohio 9-1-1 coordinator's recommendation of the wireless 9-1-1 charge under division (B)(2) of this section is for an amount of sixty-five cents or less per month, the wireless 9-1-1 charge for the budget biennium for which the recommendation was made shall be the amount of the coordinator's recommendation.
(b) If the coordinator's recommendation of the wireless 9-1-1 charge under division (B)(2) of this section is for an amount exceeding sixty-five cents per month, the wireless 9-1-1 charge for that budget biennium shall be sixty-five cents per month, unless a different amount is established by the general assembly.
(2) The crediting of remittances for the coming budget biennium shall be the crediting recommended by the coordinator under division (B)(2) of this section, unless a different crediting is established by the general assembly.
(D) The Ohio 9-1-1 coordinator shall submit recommendations to the general assembly under this section at least three months, but not earlier than four months, before the respective effective date of the wireless 9-1-1 charge as prescribed in division (A) of section 4931.61 of the Revised Code.
Sec. 4931.55 4931.75 (A) As used in this section:
(1) "Advertisement" means a message or material intended to cause the sale of realty, goods, or services.
(2) "Facsimile device" means a device that electronically or telephonically receives and copies onto paper reasonable reproductions or facsimiles of documents and photographs through connection with a telephone network.
(3) "Pre-existing business relationship" does not include transmitting an advertisement to the owner's or lessee's facsimile device.
(B) No person shall transmit an advertisement to a facsimile device unless the person has received prior permission from the owner or, if the device is leased, from the lessee of the device to which the message is to be sent to transmit the advertisement; or the person has a pre-existing business relationship with such owner or lessee.
(C) When requested by the owner or lessee, the transmission shall occur between seven p.m. and five a.m.
This section applies to all such advertisements intended to be so transmitted within this state.
Sec. 4931.99.  (A) Whoever violates division (D) of section 4931.49 of the Revised Code is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.
(B) Whoever violates section 4931.25, 4931.26, 4931.27, 4931.30, or 4931.31 of the Revised Code is guilty of a misdemeanor of the third degree.
(C) Whoever violates section 4931.28 of the Revised Code is guilty of a felony of the fourth degree.
(D) Whoever violates section 4931.29 or division (B) of section 4931.35 of the Revised Code is guilty of a misdemeanor in the first degree.
(E) Whoever violates division (E) or (F) of section 4931.49 or division (B)(2) of section 4931.66 of the Revised Code is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree on a first offense and a felony of the fifth degree on each subsequent offense.
(F) Whoever violates section 4931.55 4931.75 of the Revised Code is guilty of a minor misdemeanor for a first offense and a misdemeanor of the first degree on each subsequent offense.
Sec. 5727.39.  (A) As used in this section:
(1) "9-1-1 system" has the meaning given in section 4931.40 of the Revised Code.
(2) "Nonrecurring 9-1-1 charges" means nonrecurring charges approved by the public utilities commission for the telephone network portion of a 9-1-1 system pursuant to section 4931.47 of the Revised Code.
(3) "Eligible nonrecurring 9-1-1 charges" means all nonrecurring 9-1-1 charges for a 9-1-1 system except:
(a) Charges for a system that was not established pursuant to a plan adopted under section 4931.44 of the Revised Code or an agreement under section 4931.48 of the Revised Code; or
(b) Charges for that part of a system established pursuant to such a plan or agreement that are excluded from the credit by division (C)(2)(a) or (b) of section 4931.47 of the Revised Code.
(4) "Current year's percentage change in the consumer price index" means the greater of one or one plus the percentage increase in the consumer price index for all urban consumers (U.S. city average, all items), prepared by the United States department of labor, bureau of labor statistics, for December of the preceding year over the index for December of the second preceding year.
(B) A telephone company shall be allowed a credit against the tax computed under section 5727.38 of the Revised Code equal to the amount of its eligible nonrecurring 9-1-1 charges.
The credit shall be claimed in the company's annual statement required under division (A) of section 5727.31 of the Revised Code that covers the twelve-month period in which the 9-1-1 service for which the credit is claimed becomes available for use. If the tax commissioner determines that the credit claimed equals the amount of the company's eligible nonrecurring 9-1-1 charges, the commissioner shall credit such amount against the total taxes shown to be due from the company for the current year and shall refund the amount of any overpayment of taxes resulting from the application of such credit. If the credit allowed under this section exceeds the total taxes due for the current year, the commissioner shall credit such excess against taxes due for succeeding years until the full amount of the credit is granted.
The estimated taxes required to be paid by section 5727.31 of the Revised Code shall be based on the taxes for the preceding year prior to any credit allowed under this section for that year.
(C)(1) Within thirty days after June 18, 1985, the tax commissioner shall compute the amount that represents twenty-five per cent of the total taxes for all telephone companies computed under section 5727.38 of the Revised Code based on the annual statements required to be filed with the commissioner in September, 1984, under section 5727.31 of the Revised Code. Such amount shall constitute the credit ceiling for 1985.
(2) Each September, beginning in 2001, the commissioner shall determine the credit ceiling by multiplying the preceding year's credit ceiling by the preceding calendar year's percentage change in the consumer price index for all urban consumers for the midwest region, as determined by the United States bureau of labor statistics. The product thus obtained shall constitute the credit ceiling for the current year.
(D) After the last day a return may be filed by any telephone company that is eligible to claim a credit under this section, the commissioner shall determine whether the sum of the credits allowed for all prior years plus the sum of the credits claimed for the current year exceeds the current year's credit ceiling. If it does, the credits allowed under this section for the current year shall be reduced by a uniform percentage such that the sum of the credits allowed for the current year plus the sum of the credits allowed for all prior years equals the current year's credit ceiling. Thereafter, no credit shall be granted under this division, except for the remaining portions of any credits allowed in the current or any prior years that have not been granted.
Sec. 5733.55.  (A) As used in this section:
(1) "9-1-1 system" has the same meaning as in section 4931.40 of the Revised Code.
(2) "Nonrecurring 9-1-1 charges" means nonrecurring charges approved by the public utilities commission for the telephone network portion of a 9-1-1 system pursuant to section 4931.47 of the Revised Code.
(3) "Eligible nonrecurring 9-1-1 charges" means all nonrecurring 9-1-1 charges for a 9-1-1 system, except both of the following:
(a) Charges for a system that was not established pursuant to a plan adopted under section 4931.44 of the Revised Code or an agreement under section 4931.48 of the Revised Code;
(b) Charges for that part of a system established pursuant to such a plan or agreement that are excluded from the credit by division (C)(2)(a) or (b) of section 4931.47 of the Revised Code.
(4) "Telephone company" has the same meaning as in section 5727.01 of the Revised Code.
(B) Beginning in tax year 2005, a telephone company shall be allowed a nonrefundable credit against the tax imposed by section 5733.06 of the Revised Code equal to the amount of its eligible nonrecurring 9-1-1 charges. The credit shall be claimed for the company's taxable year that covers the period in which the 9-1-1 service for which the credit is claimed becomes available for use. The credit shall be claimed in the order required by section 5733.98 of the Revised Code. If the credit exceeds the total taxes due under section 5733.06 of the Revised Code for the tax year, the tax commissioner shall credit the excess against taxes due under that section for succeeding tax years until the full amount of the credit is granted.
(C) After the last day a return, with any extensions, may be filed by any telephone company that is eligible to claim a credit under this section, the commissioner shall determine whether the sum of the credits allowed for prior tax years commencing with tax year 2005 plus the sum of the credits claimed for the current tax year exceeds fifteen million dollars. If it does, the credits allowed under this section for the current tax year shall be reduced by a uniform percentage such that the sum of the credits allowed for the current tax year do not exceed fifteen million dollars claimed by all telephone companies for all tax years. Thereafter, no credit shall be granted under this section, except for the remaining portions of any credits allowed under division (B) of this section.
(D) A telephone company that is entitled to carry forward a credit against its public utility excise tax liability under section 5727.39 of the Revised Code is entitled to carry forward any amount of that credit remaining after its last public utility excise tax payment for the period of July 1, 2003, through June 30, 2004, and claim that amount as a credit against its corporation franchise tax liability under this section. Nothing in this section authorizes a telephone company to claim a credit under this section for any eligible nonrecurring 9-1-1 charges for which it has already claimed a credit under section 5727.39 of the Revised Code.
Section 2.  That existing sections 2307.64, 2913.01, 4931.40, 4931.41, 4931.43, 4931.44, 4931.45, 4931.46, 4931.47, 4931.48, 4931.49, 4931.50, 4931.55, 4931.99, 5727.39, and 5733.55 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.
Section 3. That the versions of sections 4931.45, 4931.47, and 4931.48 of the Revised Code that are scheduled to take effect December 31, 2004, be amended to read as follows:
Sec. 4931.45.  (A) A An amended final plan may be amended to expand is required for any of the following purposes:
(1) Expanding the territory included in the countywide 9-1-1 system, to upgrade;
(2) Upgrading any part or all of a system from basic 9-1-1 to enhanced wireline 9-1-1 service, to adjust;
(3) Adjusting the territory served by a public safety answering point, to represcribe;
(4) Represcribing the funding of public safety answering points as between the alternatives set forth in division (B)(5) of section 4931.43 of the Revised Code, or to make;
(5) Providing for wireless enhanced 9-1-1;
(6) Adding a telephone company as a participant in a countywide 9-1-1 system after the implementation of wireline 9-1-1 or wireless enhanced 9-1-1;
(7) Providing that the state highway patrol or one or more public safety answering points of another countywide 9-1-1 system function as a public safety answering point or points for the provision of wireless 9-1-1 for all or part of the territory of the system, as contemplated under division (J) of section 4931.41 of the Revised Code;
(8) Making any other necessary adjustments to the plan only by convening a new 9-1-1 planning committee, and adopting an amended final plan. The convening of a new 9-1-1 planning committee and the proposal and adoption of an amended final plan shall be made in the same manner required for the convening of an initial committee and adoption of an original proposed and final plan under sections 4931.42 to 4931.44 of the Revised Code. Adoption
The adoption of an amended final plan under this division shall be subject to, and accomplished in the manner of the adoption of an initial final plan under, sections 4931.42 to 4931.44 of the Revised Code, including the requirements for the convening of a 9-1-1 planning committee and development of a proposed plan prior to the adoption of the final plan. However, a final plan is deemed amended for the purpose described in division (A)(6) of this section upon the filing, with the board of county commissioners of the county that approved the final plan for the countywide 9-1-1 system, of a written letter of intent by the entity to be added as a participant in the 9-1-1 system. The entity shall send written notice of the filing to all subdivisions and telephone companies participating in the system. Further, adoption of any resolution under section 4931.51 of the Revised Code pursuant to a final plan that both has been adopted and provides for funding through charges imposed under that section is not an amendment of a final plan for the purpose of this division.
(B) When a final plan is amended to expand the territory that receives 9-1-1 service or to upgrade a 9-1-1 system from basic to enhanced 9-1-1 service for any purpose described in division (A)(1), (2), (5), or (6) of this section, sections 4931.47 and 5733.55 of the Revised Code apply with respect to the telephone company's recovery receipt of the nonrecurring and recurring rates and charges for the wireline telephone network portion of the 9-1-1 system.
Sec. 4931.47.  (A) In accordance with Chapters 4901., 4903., 4905., 4909., and 4931. of the Revised Code, the public utilities commission shall determine the just, reasonable, and compensatory rates, tolls, classifications, charges, or rentals to be observed and charged for the wireline telephone network portion of a basic and enhanced 9-1-1 system, and each telephone company that is a wireline service provider participating in the system shall be subject to such chapters, to the extent they apply, as to the service provided by its portion of the wireline telephone network for the system as described in the final plan or to be installed pursuant to agreements under section 4931.48 of the Revised Code, and as to the rates, tolls, classifications, charges, or rentals to be observed and charged for that service.
(B) Only the customers of a participating telephone company described in division (A) of this section that are served within the area covered by a 9-1-1 system shall pay the recurring rates for the maintenance and operation of the company's portion of the wireline telephone network in providing 9-1-1 service of the system. Such rates shall be computed by dividing the total monthly recurring rates set forth in a telephone the company's schedule as filed in accordance with section 4905.30 of the Revised Code, by the total number of residential and business customer access lines, or their equivalent, within the area served. Each residential and business customer within the area served shall pay the recurring rates based on the number of its residential and business customer access lines or their equivalent. No company may shall include such amount on any customer's bill until the company has completed its portion of the wireline telephone network in accordance with the terms, conditions, requirements, and specifications of the final plan or an agreement made under section 4931.48 of the Revised Code.
(C)(1) Except as otherwise provided in division (C)(2)(a) or (b) of this section, a participating telephone company described in division (A) of this section may receive through the credit authorized by section 5733.55 of the Revised Code the total nonrecurring charges for its portion of the wireline telephone network used in providing 9-1-1 service, of the system, including wireless 9-1-1, and the total nonrecurring charges for any updating or modernization of that wireline telephone network in accordance with the terms, conditions, requirements, and specifications of the final plan or pursuant to agreements under section 4931.48 of the Revised Code, as such charges are set forth in the schedule filed by a the telephone company in accordance with section 4905.30 of the Revised Code, on completion of the installation of the network in accordance with the terms, conditions, requirements, and specifications of the final plan or pursuant to section 4931.48 of the Revised Code shall be recovered by the company through the credit authorized by section 5733.55 of the Revised Code. As applicable, the receipt of those charges shall occur only upon the completion of the installation of the network or the completion of the updating or modernization.
(2)(a) The credit shall not be allowed under division (C)(1) of this section for the upgrading of a system from basic to enhanced wireline 9-1-1 service when if both of the following apply:
(a)(i) The telephone company received the credit for the wireline telephone network portion of the basic 9-1-1 system now proposed to be upgraded; and.
(b)(ii) At the time the final plan or agreement pursuant to section 4931.48 of the Revised Code calling for the basic 9-1-1 system was agreed to, the telephone company was capable of reasonably meeting the technical and economic requirements of providing the wireline telephone network portion of an enhanced 9-1-1 system within the territory proposed to be upgraded, as determined by the public utilities commission under division (A) or (H) of section 4931.41 or division (C) of section 4931.48 of the Revised Code.
(b) The credit shall not be allowed under division (C)(1) of this section for any portion of the total nonrecurring charges for the wireline telephone network used in providing wireless 9-1-1, as set forth in the schedule filed by the telephone company in accordance with section 4905.30 of the Revised Code, to the extent the telephone company, in otherwise providing 9-1-1 service, previously received those charges through the credit authorized by section 5733.55 of the Revised Code, or receives or received those charges from a wireless service provider pursuant to a tariff or contract.
(3) When If the credit is not allowed under division (C)(2)(a) of this section, the total nonrecurring charges for the wireline telephone network used in providing 9-1-1 service, as set forth in the schedule filed by a telephone company in accordance with section 4905.30 of the Revised Code, on completion of the installation of the network in accordance with the terms, conditions, requirements, and specifications of the final plan or pursuant to section 4931.48 of the Revised Code, shall be paid by the municipal corporations and townships with any territory in the area in which such upgrade from basic to enhanced 9-1-1 service is made.
(D) Where If customer premises equipment for a public safety answering point is supplied by a telephone company that is required to file a schedule under section 4905.30 of the Revised Code pertaining to customer premises equipment, the recurring and nonrecurring rates and charges for the installation and maintenance of the equipment specified in the schedule shall apply.
Sec. 4931.48.  (A) If a final plan is disapproved under division (B) of section 4931.44 of the Revised Code, by resolution, the legislative authority of a municipal corporation or township that contains at least thirty per cent of the county's population may establish within its boundaries, or the legislative authorities of a group of municipal corporations or townships each of which is contiguous with at least one other such municipal corporation or township in the group, together containing at least thirty per cent of the county's population, may jointly establish within their boundaries a 9-1-1 system. For this that purpose, the municipal corporation or township may enter into an agreement, and the contiguous municipal corporations or townships may jointly enter into an agreement with a one or more telephone company providing service in the municipal corporations or townships to provide for the telephone network portion of the system companies.
(B) If no resolution has been adopted to convene a 9-1-1 planning committee under section 4931.42 of the Revised Code, but not sooner than eighteen months after the effective date of such section, by resolution, the legislative authority of any municipal corporation in the county may establish within its boundaries, or the legislative authorities of a group of municipal corporations and townships each of which is contiguous to at least one of the other such municipal corporations or townships in the group may jointly establish within their boundaries, a 9-1-1 system. The For that purpose, the municipal corporation, or contiguous municipal corporations and townships, may enter into an agreement with a one or more telephone company serving customers within the boundaries of the municipal corporation or contiguous municipal corporations and townships, to provide for the telephone network portion of a 9-1-1 system companies.
(C) Whenever a telephone company that is a wireline service provider and one or more municipal corporations and townships enter into an agreement under division (A) or (B) of this section to provide for the wireline telephone network portion of a basic 9-1-1 system, the telephone company shall so notify the public utilities commission, which shall determine whether the telephone company is capable of reasonably meeting the technical and economic requirements of providing the wireline telephone network for an enhanced system within the territory served by the company and covered by the agreement. The determination shall be made solely for the purposes of division (C)(2) of section 4931.47 of the Revised Code.
(D) Within three years from the date of entering into an initial agreement described under division (A) or (B)(C) of this section, the telephone company shall have installed the wireline telephone network portion of the 9-1-1 system according to the terms, conditions, requirements, and specifications set forth in the agreement.
(E) The A telephone company that is a wireline service provider shall recover the cost of installing the wireline telephone network system pursuant to agreements made under this section as provided in section 4931.47 of the Revised Code, as authorized under section 5733.55 of the Revised Code.
Section 4. That the existing versions of sections 4931.45, 4931.47, and 4931.48 of the Revised Code that are scheduled to take effect December 31, 2004, are hereby repealed.
Section 5. Sections 3 and 4 of this act shall take effect December 31, 2004.
Section 6. The amendment by this act of section 5727.39 of the Revised Code is not intended to supersede its earlier repeal with delayed effective date of December 31, 2004.
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