[EAS] READI Act re-introduced in Senate

[Gary Timm]

Mike,
Thanx for the heads up on this Bill being reintroduced. The text of the Senate Bill (S. 2693) is now available:
https://www.congress.gov/116/bills/s2693/BILLS-116s2693is.pdf

The Bill seeks to establish the "chief executive of each State" (the Governor?) with oversight of its SECC. (No Thank You)
It also seeks to have FCC and FEMA do things they are already doing, so there was obviously no consultation with the agencies Congress is trying to regulate.

The Bill proposes:
- The "chief executive of each State" (the Governor?) is "encouraged" to (A) establish an SECC if one does not exist, (B) review the composition and governance of its SECC, (C) provide that the SECC annually update its State EAS Plan, submit it to the FCC for approval, and certify to the FCC that the SECC has met.
- The FCC would have 60 days to approve or disapprove the revised State EAS Plan and notify "the chief executive of the State" of the FCC's findings.
- The FCC would have to also establish a State EAS Plan content checklist for SECCs to use when updating a State EAS Plan (it would seem the forthcoming FCC State EAS Plan web portal would satisfy this "content checklist").

- FEMA would be required to develop guidance for State/Tribal/Local governments on how to participate in IPAWS, what emergencies warrant IPAWS use, how to test, how to prevent false alerts, the standardization of warning tools (that would be nice), annual training and recertification of EM personnel on requirements for originating and transmitting IPAWS alerts, procedures following a false alert, and inter-agency contact methods during an emergency. (It would seem FEMA is already doing most of this.)
- All should not conflict with the FEMA NAC IPAWS report recommendations.
- FEMA should consult with NIST, FCC, State and Local governments and emergency services personnel, "who shall be selected from among individuals nominated by national organizations representing those governments and personnel", Indian Tribe representatives, communications service providers, communications services vendors/developers/manufacturers, the national organization representing the licensees and permittees of noncommercial broadcast television stations, technical experts from the broadcasting industry, educators from the Emergency Management Institute, and other individuals with technical expertise that FEMA determines appropriate.
- FACA shall not apply to the above consultation.

- FCC shall establish system to receive from FEMA or State/Tribal/Local governments reports of false alerts. (FCC does not oversee these S/T/L governments, but already has broadcaster false alert reporting method.)

- FCC shall establish rule requiring repeating EAS messages issued by the President, FEMA, or any other entity under specified circumstances as determined by the FCC.

- FCC shall complete an inquiry to examine the feasibility of updating the EAS to enable or improve alerts to consumers provided through the internet, including through streaming services.

Gary Timm
WI SECC
On Saturday, October 26, 2019, 2:43:39 PM CDT, Mike McCarthy <towers at mre.com> wrote:

https://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/errant-missile-alert-prevention-bill-reintroduced

https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/2693/titles?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22emergency%22%5D%7D&r=2&s=7

Text not yet available on the official Congress website.

MM

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