47 USC 1206 - Reliable emergency alert distribution improvement

Collapse to view only § 1206. Reliable emergency alert distribution improvement

§ 1201. Federal Communications Commission duties
§ 1202. Commercial Mobile Service Alert Advisory Committee
§ 1203. Research and development
§ 1204. Grant program for remote community alert systems
§ 1205. Funding
§ 1206. Reliable emergency alert distribution improvement

§ 1201. Federal Communications Commission duties

(a) Commercial mobile service alert regulations

(b) Commercial mobile service election

(1) Amendment of commercial mobile service license

Within 120 days after the date on which the Federal Communications Commission adopts relevant technical standards and other technical requirements pursuant to subsection (a), the Commission shall complete a proceeding—

(A) to allow any licensee providing commercial mobile service (as defined in section 332(d)(1) of this title) to transmit emergency alerts to subscribers to, or users of, the commercial mobile service provided by such licensee;

(B) to require any licensee providing commercial mobile service that elects, in whole or in part, under paragraph (2) not to transmit emergency alerts to provide clear and conspicuous notice at the point of sale of any devices with which its commercial mobile service is included, that it will not transmit such alerts via the service it provides for the device; and

(C) to require any licensee providing commercial mobile service that elects under paragraph (2) not to transmit emergency alerts to notify its existing subscribers of its election.

(2) Election

(A) In general

(B) Transmission standards; notification

If a licensee providing commercial mobile service elects to transmit emergency alerts via its commercial mobile service, the licensee shall—

(i) notify the Commission of its election; and

(ii) agree to transmit such alerts in a manner consistent with the technical standards, protocols, procedures, and other technical requirements implemented by the Commission.

(D) Withdrawal; late election

The Commission shall establish a procedure—

(i) for a commercial mobile service licensee that has elected to transmit emergency alerts to withdraw its election without regulatory penalty or forfeiture upon advance written notification of the withdrawal to its affected subscribers;

(ii) for a commercial mobile service licensee to elect to transmit emergency alerts at a date later than provided in subparagraph (A); and

(iii) under which a subscriber may terminate a subscription to service provided by a commercial mobile service licensee that withdraws its election without penalty or early termination fee.

(E) Consumer choice technology

Any commercial mobile service licensee electing to transmit emergency alerts may offer subscribers the capability of preventing the subscriber’s device from receiving such alerts, or classes of such alerts, other than an alert issued by—

(i) the President; or

(ii) the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

(d) FCC regulation of compliance

(e) Limitation of liability

(1) In general

Any commercial mobile service provider (including its officers, directors, employees, vendors, and agents) that transmits emergency alerts and meets its obligations under this chapter shall not be liable to any subscriber to, or user of, such person’s service or equipment for—

(A) any act or omission related to or any harm resulting from the transmission of, or failure to transmit, an emergency alert; or

(B) the release to a government agency or entity, public safety, fire service, law enforcement official, emergency medical service, or emergency facility of subscriber information used in connection with delivering such an alert.

(2) Election not to transmit alerts

(f) Testing

(Pub. L. 109–347, title VI, § 602, Oct. 13, 2006, 120 Stat. 1936; Pub. L. 116–283, div. H, title XCII, § 9201(a)(1), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4785.)

§ 1202. Commercial Mobile Service Alert Advisory Committee

(a) Establishment

(b) MembershipThe chairman of the Federal Communications Commission shall appoint the members of the Advisory Committee, as soon as practicable after October 13, 2006, from the following groups:

(1) State and local government representatives

(2) Tribal governments

(3) Subject matter expertsIndividuals who have the requisite technical knowledge and expertise to serve on the Advisory Committee in the fulfillment of its duties, including representatives of—

(A) communications service providers;

(B) vendors, developers, and manufacturers of systems, facilities, equipment, and capabilities for the provision of communications services;

(D) technical experts from the broadcasting industry;

(E) the national organization representing the licensees and permittees of noncommercial broadcast television stations;

(F) national organizations representing individuals with special needs, including individuals with disabilities and the elderly; and

(G) other individuals with relevant technical expertise.

(4) Qualified representatives of other stakeholders and interested parties

(c) Development of system-critical recommendationsWithin 1 year after October 13, 2006, the Advisory Committee shall develop and submit to the Federal Communications Commission recommendations—

(1) for protocols, technical capabilities, and technical procedures through which electing commercial mobile service providers receive, verify, and transmit alerts to subscribers;

(2) for the establishment of technical standards for priority transmission of alerts by electing commercial mobile service providers to subscribers;

(3) for relevant technical standards for devices and equipment and technologies used by electing commercial mobile service providers to transmit emergency alerts to subscribers;

(4) for the technical capability to transmit emergency alerts by electing commercial mobile providers to subscribers in languages in addition to English, to the extent practicable and feasible;

(5) under which electing commercial mobile service providers may offer subscribers the capability of preventing the subscriber’s device from receiving emergency alerts, or classes of such alerts, (other than an alert issued by the President), consistent with section 1201(b)(2)(E) of this title;

(6) for a process under which commercial mobile service providers can elect to transmit emergency alerts if—

(A) not all of the devices or equipment used by such provider are capable of receiving such alerts; or

(B) the provider cannot offer such alerts throughout the entirety of its service area; and

(7) as otherwise necessary to enable electing commercial mobile service providers to transmit emergency alerts to subscribers.

(d) Meetings

(1) Initial meeting

(2) Other meetings

(3) Notice; open meetings

(e) Rules

(1) Quorum

(2) Subcommittees

(3) Additional rules

(f) Chapter 10 of title 5

(g) Consultation with NIST

(Pub. L. 109–347, title VI, § 603, Oct. 13, 2006, 120 Stat. 1938; Pub. L. 117–286, § 4(a)(300), Dec. 27, 2022, 136 Stat. 4339.)

§ 1203. Research and development

(a) In general

(b) FunctionsThe program established under subsection (a) shall—

(1) fund research, development, testing, and evaluation at academic institutions, private sector entities, government laboratories, and other appropriate entities; and

(2) ensure that the program addresses, at a minimum—

(A) developing innovative technologies that will transmit geographically targeted emergency alerts to the public; and

(B) research on understanding and improving public response to warnings.

(Pub. L. 109–347, title VI, § 604, Oct. 13, 2006, 120 Stat. 1940.)

§ 1204. Grant program for remote community alert systems

(a) Grant program

(b) Applications and conditions

In conducting the program, the Under Secretary—

(1) shall establish a notification and application procedure; and

(2) may establish such conditions, and require such assurances, as may be appropriate to ensure the efficiency and integrity of the grant program.

(d) Limitation

(Pub. L. 109–347, title VI, § 605, Oct. 13, 2006, 120 Stat. 1940.)

§ 1205. Funding

(a) In general

(b) Compensation

(Pub. L. 109–347, title VI, § 606, Oct. 13, 2006, 120 Stat. 1941.)

§ 1206. Reliable emergency alert distribution improvement

(a) Wireless emergency alerts system offerings

(1) Omitted

(2) Regulations

(b) State emergency alert system plans and emergency communications committees

(1) State emergency communications committeeNot later than 180 days after January 1, 2021, the Commission shall adopt regulations that—

(A) encourage the chief executive of each State—

(i) to establish an SECC if the State does not have an SECC; or

(ii) if the State has an SECC, to review the composition and governance of the SECC;

(B) provide that—

(i) each SECC, not less frequently than annually, shall—(I) meet to review and update its State EAS Plan;(II) certify to the Commission that the SECC has met as required under subclause (I); and(III) submit to the Commission an updated State EAS Plan; and

(ii) not later than 60 days after the date on which the Commission receives an updated State EAS Plan under clause (i)(III), the Commission shall—(I) approve or disapprove the updated State EAS Plan; and(II) notify the chief executive of the State of the Commission’s approval or disapproval of such plan, and reason therefor; and

(C) establish a State EAS Plan span checklist for SECCs to use when reviewing and updating a State EAS Plan for submission to the Commission under subparagraph (B)(i).

(2) Consultation

(3) DefinitionsIn this subsection—

(A) the term “SECC” means a State Emergency Communications Committee;

(B) the term “State” means any State of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and any possession of the United States; and

(d) Repeating emergency alert system messages for national security

(1) In generalNot later than 180 days after January 1, 2021, the Commission, in consultation with the Administrator, shall complete a rulemaking proceeding to modify the Emergency Alert System to provide for repeating Emergency Alert System messages while an alert remains pending that is issued by—

(A) the President;

(B) the Administrator; or

(C) any other entity determined appropriate under the circumstances by the Commission, in consultation with the Administrator.

(2) Scope of rulemakingParagraph (1) shall—

(A) apply to warnings of national security events, meaning emergencies of national significance, such as a missile threat, terror attack, or other act of war or threat to public safety; and

(B) not apply to more typical warnings, such as a weather alert, AMBER Alert, or disaster alert.

(3) Rule of constructionNothing in this subsection shall be construed to impair, limit, or otherwise change—

(A) the authority of the President granted by law to alert and warn the public; or

(B) the role of the President as commander-in-chief with respect to the identification, dissemination, notification, or alerting of information of missile threats against the United States, or threats to public safety.

(e) Internet and online streaming services emergency alert examination

(1) Study

(2) ReportNot later than 90 days after completing the inquiry under paragraph (1), the Commission shall submit a report on the findings and conclusions of the inquiry to—

(A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate; and

(B) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives.

(f) DefinitionsIn this section—

(1) the term “Administrator” means the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency;

(2) the term “Commission” means the Federal Communications Commission;

(3) the term “Emergency Alert System” means the national public warning system, the rules for which are set forth in part 11 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulation); and

(4) the term “Wireless Emergency Alerts System” means the wireless national public warning system established under the Warning, Alert, and Response Network Act (47 U.S.C. 1201 et seq.), the rules for which are set forth in part 10 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulation).

(Pub. L. 116–283, div. H, title XCII, § 9201, Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4785.)