2012 Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes
Title 35 - HEALTH AND SAFETY
Chapter 53 - Emergency Telephone Service
Section 5311.5 - Disbursement of fund amounts by agency

§ 5311.5.  Disbursement of fund amounts by agency.

(a)  Expenditures for wireless E-911 systems.--During each fiscal year the agency may, only in furtherance of the wireless E-911 State plan, disburse money from the Wireless E-911 Emergency Services Fund to PSAPs with agency-approved county plans or amended county plans and wireless providers for the following purposes:

(1)  To pay the costs of PSAPs and wireless providers provided for in section 5311.4(a)(1) and (d)(2) (relating to Wireless E-911 Emergency Services Fund) and the costs of PSAPs provided for in section 5311.4(a)(2).

(2)  To train emergency service personnel regarding receipt and use of wireless E-911 service information.

(3)  To educate consumers regarding the operations, limitations, role and responsible use of wireless E-911 service.

(b)  Limitations on use of fund amounts by PSAPs.--No PSAP shall receive a disbursement from the fund for any cost necessary to house the wireless E-911 system or for the purchase of real estate, cosmetic remodeling, ambulances, fire engines or other emergency vehicles, utilities, taxes and other expenses as determined by the agency. No more than 70% of the disbursements which a PSAP receives from the fund during the agency's fiscal year may be utilized to fund personnel training, salary and benefit costs.

(c)  Manner of payment.--Each PSAP and wireless provider shall submit to the agency each year, not later than 120 days before the first day of the agency's fiscal year, the eligible costs it expects to incur for wireless E-911 service during the next fiscal year of the agency. The submission may include eligible costs that the PSAP or wireless provider has already incurred for wireless E-911 service at the time of the submission. The agency shall review the submission, ensure that the costs are eligible for payment from the fund and notify the submitting PSAP or wireless provider, not later than 30 days before the first day of the agency's fiscal year, of the eligible costs. The agency shall pay to each PSAP and wireless provider, from the fund, the amount of the submitted costs the agency determined to be eligible, whether or not the costs have been incurred at or before the time of payment and whether or not the costs, if already incurred, were incurred prior to March 29, 2004. Payment shall be made in four equal payments during the first month of each quarter of the agency's fiscal year as follows:

(1)  The agency shall first pay the costs approved for each PSAP that are payable in the quarter.

(2)  Following the payment of approved costs to a PSAP for Phase I deployment of wireless E-911 service as set forth in the FCC E-911 Order, but only after the PSAP has issued its request to wireless providers to furnish Phase I wireless E-911 service pursuant to the FCC E-911 Order, the agency shall pay the approved costs of wireless providers that are payable in the quarter to provide the requested wireless E-911 service to that PSAP.

(3)  Following the payment of approved costs to a PSAP for Phase II deployment of wireless E-911 service as set forth in the FCC E-911 Order, but only after the PSAP has issued its request to wireless providers to furnish Phase II wireless E-911 service pursuant to the FCC E-911 Order, the agency shall pay the approved costs of wireless providers that are payable in the quarter to provide the requested wireless E-911 service to that PSAP.

(4)  In any quarter of the agency's fiscal year, all costs specified in section 5311.4(a)(1) that are approved by the agency for payment to PSAPs or wireless providers shall be paid before any other costs payable under this chapter are paid to any PSAP or wireless provider. In the first quarter of the agency's fiscal year, the agency shall determine whether payments to PSAPs and wireless providers during the preceding fiscal year exceeded or were less than the eligible costs incurred by each PSAP and wireless provider submitting costs during the fiscal year. Each PSAP and wireless provider shall provide verification of the costs as required by the agency. Any overpayment shall be refunded to the agency or, with the agency's approval, may be used to pay agency-approved costs the PSAP or wireless provider submitted for the current fiscal year of the agency. The amount of any underpayment will be paid to the PSAP or wireless provider in accordance with this subsection and subsection (d) within the current fiscal year. The agency shall reconsider a determination of eligible costs under this subsection upon request by a submitting PSAP or wireless provider and shall provide a procedure for the reconsideration.

(d)  Pro rata sharing of fund amounts.--

(1)  If the total amount of money in the fund in any quarter is insufficient to pay for both agency-approved PSAP costs and agency-approved wireless provider costs which are payable in the quarter under subsection (c) for both Phase I deployment and Phase II deployment of wireless E-911 service as set forth in the FCC E-911 Order, then payments from the fund for that quarter shall be made as follows:

(i)  The agency-approved Phase I deployment costs of a PSAP and those wireless providers to which the PSAP has issued its request for Phase I wireless E-911 service shall be paid before any agency-approved costs for Phase II deployment are paid.

(ii)  If, notwithstanding subparagraph (i), the total amount of money in the fund in the quarter is insufficient to pay all Phase I deployment costs of both PSAPs and wireless providers which are payable in the quarter, then each requesting PSAP and each requesting wireless provider shall receive, for payment of Phase I deployment costs, a pro rata share of the total amount of money in the fund in the quarter.

(iii)  If the total amount of money in the fund in the quarter is insufficient to pay all agency-approved Phase II deployment costs of both PSAPs and wireless providers which are payable in the quarter, then each requesting PSAP and each requesting wireless provider shall receive, for payment of Phase II deployment costs, a pro rata share of the total money in the fund which are available in the quarter for payment of Phase II deployment costs.

(2)  For any PSAP or wireless provider, pro rata shares shall be computed based upon the total dollar amount of money available in the fund for payment of Phase I or Phase II deployment costs, whichever is applicable, multiplied by the ratio of:

(i)  the total dollar amount of agency-approved but unpaid costs of that PSAP or wireless provider for Phase I or Phase II deployment, whichever is applicable; to

(ii)  the total dollar amount of all agency-approved but unpaid costs.

(3)  Any remaining unpaid agency-approved PSAP costs or wireless provider costs shall be carried forward for payment during the next fiscal quarter. The carryforward process shall continue each fiscal quarter until all agency-approved PSAP costs and wireless provider costs have been paid. Pro rata and other payments under this subsection, including, but not limited to, payments of costs which are carried forward for payment in subsequent fiscal quarters, shall also be subject to all provisions and requirements of subsection (c) except for subsection (c)(1).

(e)  Triennial financial audit.--The agency shall require a triennial financial audit of each PSAP's use of the disbursements it has received from the fund and of a wireless provider's collection, deduction, retention, remittance and use of the amounts collected by the wireless provider under the wireless E-911 surcharge or the disbursements it received from the fund. These triennial financial audits shall be consistent with guidelines established by the agency, and the cost of each audit shall be paid from the fund.

Cross References.  Section 5311.5 is referred to in section 5311.4 of this title.