Alabama consumers may notice slightly higher phone bills next month because of a law meant to help fully fund emergency dispatch services throughout the state.
Revenue from a law authorizing phone companies and wireless carriers to charge a monthly fee of $1.60 per phone to be diverted to the state's newly-created Alabama 911 Board.
The board is tasked with fully funding emergency communications districts throughout the state by redistributing revenue from the fees to city and county 911 districts.
The board's Executive Director, Jason Jackson, says the current system used to fund emergency dispatch systems varies from place to place and the fees currently only fund a portion of each jurisdiction's emergency communications costs.