The Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) has issued a report showing that nearly $198 million in 911 fees collected by states and territories were diverted for non-911 uses. The report identifies five states as culprits: Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and West Virginia. The Commission remarked that this is an unacceptable practice as Americans, when they pay 911 fees on their phone bill, expect that money to go towards 911 services. Instead, this year, more than 7% of the total 911 fees collected, a total of $2.6 billion, were diverted illegitimately. The Commission acknowledges, however, that the diverted 911 fees this year are less than last year’s, $285 million, showing a trend in the right direction.
