Georgia Amendment 3: What a yes or no vote means for 911 funding

Georgia voters will decide on Nov. 3 whether to allow lawmakers to create a Georgia Next Generation 9-1-1 Fund under Amendment 3. The amendment would not automatically establish the fund or change phone bills; Georgians already pay a $1.50 monthly fee that the Georgia Emergency Communications Authority has collected since 2019 and distributed to local governments through restricted 911 funds. If voters approve, lawmakers could create the new fund through legislation, with money used exclusively for expansion, maintenance and operation of 911 systems statewide, including the transition to Next Generation 911. Next Generation 911 is an IP-based network that supports voice, texts, photos and video, using mapping to pinpoint caller location more accurately. A “yes” gives lawmakers authority to create the fund; a “no” keeps the current constitution.