State Sen. James Timilty says that fees on cell phones would go up, but 911 responses would improve if his bill on emergency telephone services becomes law.

Timilty, D-Walpole, said the bill is expected to pass the Senate and has a good chance getting through the House before the Legislature adjourns July 31.

Chairman of the Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security, Timilty said 911 service in Massachusetts is good now, but it can be better.

Cell phone calls to 911, for example, are answered by state police and have to be routed to local police or fire departments.

The extra time involved is critical when lives are at stake, he said. He said that upgraded equipment and software could send those cell phone calls directly to the appropriate agencies.

The upgrades would also help emergency responders better identify where cell phone calls are coming from, he said.

There was a recent case in Boston, he said, where an assault victim waited 20 minutes because emergency personnel were sent to the wrong location.

To pay for the better hardware and software, Timilty said his bill would raise an existing monthly fee on cell phones from 30 cents per month to 75 cents. A 90 cent fee on land-line telephones would be lowered to 75 cents to make the charges "fair for all," he said.

Timilty said the higher fees would raise an estimated $25 million a year, which would be distributed to cities and towns to purchase new equipment and to give more training to dispatchers who receive 911 calls.

The additional training would make dispatchers better at an "intense job" that requires decisions when "seconds count," he said.

The cities and towns could also hire more dispatchers with the money, he said.

Timilty said Attleboro would receive an estimated $82,000 a year from the funds, which will be distributed based on population and telephone calls made.