§ 20-8. Service charge for cellular subscribers for 911 service.

(a)

Service authorized. Cellular providers are authorized as agents of the parish to offer 911 service, to the extent practicable, to their cellular radio subscribers in the parish.

(b)

Charge levied. To fund the provision of 911 service of cellular providers to their cellular radio subscribers whose cellular units are registered in the parish, a service charge is hereby levied upon such subscribers at seventy-five cents ($0.75) per subscriber per month.

(c)

Collection and remittance of charge. Cellular providers are hereby authorized as agents of Jefferson Parish to collect such service charge from the cellular radio subscribers and shall remit same to the parish.

(d)

Billing. The emergency telephone service charge shall be added to and may be stated separately in cellular providers billing to such cellular radio subscribers.

(e)

Subscriber liable for charge. Every billed cellular radio subscriber shall be liable for any service charge imposed until it has been paid to the cellular provider.

(f)

Cellular providers to provide list of uncollected amounts, etc. Cellular providers shall have no obligation to take any legal action to enforce the collection of any emergency telephone service charge. However, cellular providers shall annually provide the council with a list of the amount uncollected, together with the names and addresses of those cellular subscribers who carry a balance that the cellular providers determine to be nonpayment of such service charge. The service charge shall be collected at the same time as the tariff rate in accordance with cellular providers' regular billing practice. Good faith compliance by cellular providers with this section shall constitute a complete defense to any legal action or claim which may result from the cellular providers' determination of nonpayment and/or the identification of cellular radio subscribers in connection therewith.

(g)

Service charge due quarterly. The amount collected by the cellular providers attributable to any emergency service charge shall be due quarterly. The amount of service charge collected in one (1) calendar quarter by the cellular provider shall be remitted to the council no later than sixty (60) days after the close of a calendar quarter. On or before the sixtieth day after the close of a calendar quarter, a return, in such form as the council and cellular providers agree upon, shall be filed with the council, together with a remittance of the amount of service charge collected payable to the council.

(h)

Attestation to be included with remittance of charge; administrative fee. The cellular providers shall include with their remittance of the collected service charge to the parish an attestation by an independent certified public accountant as to:

(1)

The accuracy of the number of cellular radio subscribers with cellular units registered in the parish;

(2)

The accuracy of the amount of service charges collected from the subscribers and due to the parish; and

(3)

The names and addresses of those cellular radio subscribers which are liable for the service charge but have not paid it.

Cellular providers shall be entitled to retain as an administrative fee one (1) percent of the gross amount of service charges collected on behalf of the parish.

(Ord. No. 17319, §§ 1—8, 8-12-87)

Editor's note

Ord. No. 17319, adopted Aug. 12, 1987, did not specifically amend this Code; hence inclusion of §§ 1—8 as § 20-8 was at the discretion of the editor.

Cross reference

Emergency telephone service charge in communications district, § 13-61.