By DANIEL KITTREDGE

Each month, Rhode Islanders pay a surcharge on their landline or wireless phone bill, with the money collected meant to fund the state’s 911 system.

According to a federal report, however, less than a third of that revenue ends up used for its intended purpose. Now, a local lawmaker is making a new push to address the situation.

“People work hard for their money, and we want to make sure that we’re being good stewards,” said Rep. Robert Lancia, a Republican who represents District 16 in Cranston.

A Federal Communications Commission report to Congress, issued in December 2015, provides the most recent data regarding the funding of 911 and Enhanced 911, or E-911, communication across the country.

For fiscal year 2014 – the period between July 1, 2014, and June 30, 2015 – the report indicates Rhode Island collected $17,640,703 in 911 revenue through fees of $1 per landline, $1.26 per wireless line, and 2.5 percent per retail transaction for prepaid devices. The landline fees generated more than $5.2 million of that total, while wireless fees accounted for more than $11.5 million.

The report indicates 90 percent of the money collected went to the state’s general fund, while 10 percent went to the state’s information technology fund. The Rhode Island’s 911 budget for fiscal 2014 – which totaled $5,320,615 – was then funding through the general fund, with $4.13 million for personnel costs and roughly $1.19 million in operating costs.

The remaining E-911 surcharge money – approximately $12 million, or nearly 70 percent of the $17.3 million – was distributed for other purposes via the general fund, the report states. According to the report, Rhode Island is one of eight states that uses its 911 funding for purposes other than emergency communication, joining California, Illinois, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, and West Virginia. In most of those states, though, the diverting funding goes toward other public safety uses.

Only three states – Rhode Island, Illinois, and New York – used funds for programs other than 911 or public safety. Only New Jersey spent more of its funding – 89 percent – for non-911 purposes.

The FCC report indicates Rhode Island received 511,810 incoming 911 calls for the time period in question, and transferred another 761,345 calls. Three-quarters of 911 calls in the state were wireless.

Lancia – who was first elected in 2014 – said he began exploring the 911 issue after receiving a call from a concern constituent who had been placed on hold when making an emergency call. As he spoke with various parties and conducted research, he found that most of the surcharge money paid by consumers was going into the state’s general coffers.

Lancia filed legislation seeking to restrict the use of the funding last year, and has this year again filed a bill that would keep all surcharge money used for 911 and reduce the cost to consumers accordingly. He pointed to a previous legislative effort to enhance fiscal transparency rules for non-profit organizations.

“Shouldn’t state government be as transparent as we’re asking nonprofits to be?” he said.

There may be another use for the funding, however. Currently, software compatibility issues in some cases prevent the non-verbal transmission of information between central 911 dispatch in Scituate and local police and fire departments.

Lancia said he intends to look at using 911 surcharge funds to invest in software upgrades to enhance compatibility, the cost of which would be in the millions. The first priority, though, is the legislation restricting the use of the surcharge funds.

“I want to get this piece through first, and hopefully they’ll see value in using those funds,” he said.

Regarding his overall objective in relation to the 911 issue, Lancia said: “It’s focused on moving the state forward and putting a dollar back in people’s pockets.”

Republican Reps. Michael Chippendale of District 40, Doreen Costa of District 31, Robert Nardolillo III of District 28, and Blake Filippi of District 36 have also sponsored the bill, which was introduced Feb. 24 and has been referred to the House Finance Committee.