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Bill Would Charge 911 Fees On Prepaid Cellphones

SACRAMENTO (AP) — Californians who use prepaid cellphones would pay a little more to add minutes under a bill moving through the Legislature.

The Assembly on Thursday approved a bill that would require prepaid cellphone users to pay the same fees currently charged to those with wireless contracts to support 911 operations and various utility services.

Cellphone users with annual contracts are charged the fees in their monthly bills.

AB 300 by Democratic Assemblyman Henry Perea of Fresno would require retailers to charge the fees when customers with prepaid accounts buy additional minutes.

Perea said 29 other states, including Arizona and Utah, have adopted similar fees on prepaid wireless customers.

The legislation passed 62-0 on an urgency basis and heads to the Senate.

(© Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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