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Ohio Laws and Rules
(A) Prior to January 1, 2014:
(1) A wireless service provider or reseller , not later than the last day of each month, shall remit the full amount of all wireless 9-1-1 charges it collected under division (A) of section 5507.42 of the Revised Code for the second preceding calendar month to the Ohio 9-1-1 coordinator, with the exception of charges equivalent to the amount authorized as a billing and collection fee under division (A)(2) of this section. In doing so, the provider or reseller may remit the requisite amount in any reasonable manner consistent with its existing operating or technological capabilities, such as by customer address, location associated with the wireless telephone number, or another allocation method based on comparable, relevant data. If the wireless service provider or reseller receives a partial payment for a bill from a wireless service subscriber, the wireless service provider or reseller shall apply the payment first against the amount the subscriber owes the wireless service provider or reseller and shall remit to the coordinator such lesser amount, if any, as results from that invoice.
(2) A wireless service provider or reseller may retain as a billing and collection fee two per cent of the total wireless 9-1-1 charges it collects in a month and shall account to the coordinator for the amount retained.
(3) The coordinator shall return to, or credit against the next month's remittance of, a wireless service provider or reseller the amount of any remittances the coordinator determines were erroneously submitted by the provider or reseller.
(B) Beginning January 1, 2014:
(1) Each seller of a prepaid wireless calling service , wireless service provider, and reseller shall, on or before the twenty-third day of each month, except as provided in divisions (B)(2) and (3) of this section, do both of the following:
(a) Make and file a return for the preceding month, in the form prescribed by the tax commissioner, showing the amount of the wireless 9-1-1 charges due under section 5507.42 of the Revised Code for that month;
(b) Remit the full amount due, as shown on the return, with the exception of charges equivalent to the amount authorized as a collection fee under division (B)(4) of this section.
(2) The commissioner may grant one or more thirty-day extensions for making and filing returns and remitting amounts due.
(3) If a seller is required to collect prepaid wireless 9-1-1 charges in amounts that do not merit monthly returns, the commissioner may authorize the seller to make and file returns less frequently. The commissioner shall ascertain whether this authorization is warranted upon the basis of administrative costs to the state.
(4) A wireless service provider, reseller, and seller may each retain as a collection fee three per cent of the total wireless 9-1-1 charges required to be collected under section 5507.42 of the Revised Code, and shall account to the tax commissioner for the amount retained.
(5) The return required under division (B)(1)(a) of this section shall be filed electronically using the Ohio business gateway, as defined in section 718.051 of the Revised Code, the Ohio telefile system, or any other electronic means prescribed by the tax commissioner. Remittance of the amount due shall be made electronically in a manner approved by the commissioner. A wireless service provider, reseller, or seller may apply to the commissioner on a form prescribed by the commissioner to be excused from either electronic requirement of this division. For good cause shown, the commissioner may excuse the provider, reseller, or seller from either or both of the requirements and may permit the provider, reseller, or seller to file returns or make remittances by nonelectronic means.
(C)
(1) Prior to January 1, 2014, each subscriber on which a wireless 9-1-1 charge is imposed under division (A) of section 5507.42 of the Revised Code is liable to the state for the amount of the charge. If a wireless service provider or reseller fails to collect the charge under that division from a subscriber of prepaid wireless service, or fails to bill any other subscriber for the charge, the wireless service provider or reseller is liable to the state for the amount not collected or billed. If a wireless service provider or reseller collects charges under that division and fails to remit the money to the coordinator, the wireless service provider or reseller is liable to the state for any amount collected and not remitted.
(2) Beginning January 1, 2014:
(a) Each subscriber or consumer on which a wireless 9-1-1 charge is imposed under section 5507.42 of the Revised Code is liable to the state for the amount of the charge. If a wireless service provider or reseller fails to bill or collect the charge , or if a seller fails to collect the charge, the provider , reseller, or seller is liable to the state for the amount not billed or collected. If a provider , reseller , or seller fails to remit money to the tax commissioner as required under this section, the provider , reseller, or seller is liable to the state for the amount not remitted, regardless of whether the amount was collected.
(b) No provider of a prepaid wireless calling service shall be liable to the state for any wireless 9-1-1 charge imposed under division (B)(1) of section 5507.42 of the Revised Code that was not collected or remitted.
(D) Prior to January 1, 2014:
(1) If the public utilities commission has reason to believe that a wireless service provider or reseller has failed to bill, collect, or remit the wireless 9-1-1 charge as required by divisions (A)(1) and (C)(1) of this section or has retained more than the amount authorized under division (A)(2) of this section, and after written notice to the provider or reseller, the commission may audit the provider or reseller for the sole purpose of making such a determination. The audit may include, but is not limited to, a sample of the provider's or reseller's billings, collections, remittances, or retentions for a representative period, and the commission shall make a good faith effort to reach agreement with the provider or reseller in selecting that sample.
(2) Upon written notice to the wireless service provider or reseller, the commission, by order after completion of the audit, may make an assessment against the provider or reseller if, pursuant to the audit, the commission determines that the provider or reseller has failed to bill, collect, or remit the wireless 9-1-1 charge as required by divisions (A)(1) and (C)(1) of this section or has retained more than the amount authorized under division (A)(2) of this section. The assessment shall be in the amount of any remittance that was due and unpaid on the date notice of the audit was sent by the commission to the provider or reseller or, as applicable, in the amount of the excess amount under division (A)(2) of this section retained by the provider or reseller as of that date.
(3) The portion of any assessment not paid within sixty days after the date of service by the commission of the assessment notice under division (D)(2) of this section shall bear interest from that date until paid at the rate per annum prescribed by section 5703.47 of the Revised Code. That interest may be collected by making an assessment under division (D)(2) of this section. An assessment under this division and any interest due shall be remitted in the same manner as the wireless 9-1-1 charge imposed under division (A) of section 5507.42 of the Revised Code.
(4) An assessment is final and due and payable and shall be remitted to the commission unless the assessed party petitions for rehearing under section 4903.10 of the Revised Code. The proceedings of the commission specified in division (D)(4) of this section are subject to and governed by Chapter 4903. of the Revised Code, except that the court of appeals of Franklin county has exclusive, original jurisdiction to review, modify, or vacate an order of the commission under division (D)(2) of this section. The court shall hear and determine such appeal in the same manner and under the same standards as the Ohio supreme court hears and determines appeals under Chapter 4903. of the Revised Code.
The judgment of the court of appeals is final and conclusive unless reversed, vacated, or modified on appeal. Such an appeal may be made by the commission or the person to whom the order under division (D)(2) of this section was issued and shall proceed as in the case of appeals in civil actions as provided in Chapter 2505. of the Revised Code.
(5) After an assessment becomes final, if any portion of the assessment remains unpaid, including accrued interest, a certified copy of the commission's entry making the assessment final may be filed in the office of the clerk of the court of common pleas in the county in which the place of business of the assessed party is located. If the party maintains no place of business in this state, the certified copy of the entry may be filed in the office of the clerk of the court of common pleas of Franklin county. Immediately upon the filing, the clerk shall enter a judgment for the state against the assessed party in the amount shown on the entry. The judgment may be filed by the clerk in a loose-leaf book entitled "special judgments for wireless 9-1-1 charges" and shall have the same effect as other judgments. The judgment shall be executed upon the request of the commission.
(6) An assessment under this division does not discharge a subscriber's liability to reimburse the provider or reseller for the wireless 9-1-1 charge imposed under division (A) of section 5507.42 of the Revised Code. If, after the date of service of the audit notice under division (D)(1) of this section, a subscriber pays a wireless 9-1-1 charge for the period covered by the assessment, the payment shall be credited against the assessment.
(7) All money collected by the commission under division (D) of this section shall be paid to the treasurer of state, for deposit to the credit of the wireless 9-1-1 government assistance fund.
(E) Beginning January 1, 2014:
(1) If the tax commissioner has reason to believe that a wireless service provider, reseller, or seller has failed to bill, collect, or remit the wireless 9-1-1 charge as required by this section and section 5507.42 of the Revised Code or has retained more than the amount authorized under division (B)(4) of this section, and after written notice to the provider, reseller, or seller, the tax commissioner may audit the provider, reseller, or seller for the sole purpose of making such a determination. The audit may include, but is not limited to, a sample of the provider's, reseller's, or seller's billings, collections, remittances, or retentions for a representative period, and the tax commissioner shall make a good faith effort to reach agreement with the provider, reseller, or seller in selecting that sample.
(2) Upon written notice to the wireless service provider, reseller, or seller, the tax commissioner, after completion of the audit, may make an assessment against the provider, reseller, or seller if, pursuant to the audit, the tax commissioner determines that the provider, reseller, or seller has failed to bill, collect, or remit the wireless 9-1-1 charge as required by this section and section 5507.42 of the Revised Code or has retained more than the amount authorized under division (B)(4) of this section. The assessment shall be in the amount of any remittance that was due and unpaid on the date notice of the audit was sent by the tax commissioner to the provider, reseller, or seller or, as applicable, in the amount of the excess amount under division (B)(4) of this section retained by the provider, reseller, or seller as of that date.
(3) The portion of any assessment not paid within sixty days after the date of service by the tax commissioner of the assessment notice under division (E)(2) of this section shall bear interest from that date until paid at the rate per annum prescribed by section 5703.47 of the Revised Code. That interest may be collected by making an assessment under division (E)(2) of this section. An assessment under this division and any interest due shall be remitted in the same manner as the wireless 9-1-1 charges imposed under section 5507.42 of the Revised Code.
(4) The portion of the assessment not paid within sixty days after the day the assessment was issued shall bear interest at the rate per annum prescribed by section 5703.47 of the Revised Code from the day the commissioner issues the assessment until it is paid. Interest shall be remitted in the same manner as the 9-1-1 charges and may be collected by the issuance of an assessment under division (E) of this section.
(5) Unless the provider, reseller, or seller assessed files with the tax commissioner within sixty days after service of the notice of assessment, either personally or by certified mail, a written petition for reassessment, signed by the party assessed or that party's authorized agent having knowledge of the facts, the assessment shall become final and the amount of the assessment shall be due and payable from the party assessed to the treasurer of state, for deposit to the next generation 9-1-1 fund, which is created under section 5507.54 of the Revised Code. The petition shall indicate the objections of the party assessed, but additional objections may be raised in writing if received by the commissioner prior to the date shown on the final determination. If the petition has been properly filed, the commissioner shall proceed under section 5703.60 of the Revised Code.
(6) After an assessment becomes final, if any portion of the assessment remains unpaid, including accrued interest, a certified copy of the final assessment may be filed in the office of the clerk of the court of common pleas in the county in which the business of the assessed party is conducted. If the party assessed maintains no place of business in this state, the certified copy of the final assessment may be filed in the office of the clerk of the court of common pleas of Franklin county. Immediately upon the filing, the clerk shall enter a judgment for the state against the assessed party in the amount shown on the final assessment. The judgment may be filed by the clerk in a loose-leaf book entitled "special judgments for wireless 9-1-1 charges" and shall have the same effect as other judgments. The judgment shall be executed upon the request of the tax commissioner.
(7) If the commissioner determines that the commissioner erroneously has refunded a wireless 9-1-1 charge to any person, the commissioner may make an assessment against that person for recovery of the erroneously refunded charge.
(8) An assessment under division (E) of this section does not discharge a subscriber's or consumer's liability to reimburse the provider, reseller, or seller for a wireless 9-1-1 charge. If, after the date of service of the audit notice under division (E)(1) of this section, a subscriber or consumer pays a wireless 9-1-1 charge for the period covered by the assessment, the payment shall be credited against the assessment.
Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.188,HB 472, §1, eff. 12/20/2012.
Renumbered from § 4931.62 and amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.166,HB 360, §1, eff. 12/20/2012.