Within 180 days after the date on which the Commercial Mobile Service Alert Advisory Committee, established pursuant to section 1202(a) of this title, transmits recommendations to the Federal Communications Commission, the Commission shall complete a proceeding to adopt relevant technical standards, protocols, procedures, and other technical requirements based on the recommendations of such Advisory Committee necessary to enable commercial mobile service alerting capability for commercial mobile service providers that voluntarily elect to transmit emergency alerts. The Commission shall consult with the National Institute of Standards and Technology regarding the adoption of technical standards under this subsection.
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.
Within 30 days after the Commission issues its order under paragraph (1), each licensee providing commercial mobile service shall file an election with the Commission with respect to whether or not it intends to transmit emergency alerts.
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.
A commercial mobile service licensee that elects to transmit emergency alerts may not impose a separate or additional charge for such transmission or capability.
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.
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 the President. Within 2 years after the Commission completes the proceeding under paragraph (1), the Commission shall examine the issue of whether a commercial mobile service provider should continue to be permitted to offer its subscribers such capability. The Commission shall submit a report with its recommendations to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives.
Within 90 days after the date on which the Commission adopts relevant technical standards based on recommendations of the Commercial Mobile Service Alert Advisory Committee, established pursuant to section 1202(a) of this title, the Commission shall complete a proceeding to require licensees and permittees of noncommercial educational broadcast stations or public broadcast stations (as those terms are defined in section 397(6) of this title) to install necessary equipment and technologies on, or as part of, any broadcast television digital signal transmitter to enable the distribution of geographically targeted alerts by commercial mobile service providers that have elected to transmit emergency alerts under this section.
The Federal Communications Commission may enforce compliance with this chapter but shall have no rulemaking authority under this chapter, except as provided in subsections (a), (b), (c), and (f).
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.
The election by a commercial mobile service provider under subsection (b)(2)(A) not to transmit emergency alerts, or to withdraw its election to transmit such alerts under subsection (b)(2)(D) shall not, by itself, provide a basis for liability against the provider (including its officers, directors, employees, vendors, and agents).
The Commission shall require by regulation technical testing for commercial mobile service providers that elect to transmit emergency alerts and for the devices and equipment used by such providers for transmitting such alerts.
(Pub. L. 109–347, title VI, §602, Oct. 13, 2006, 120 Stat. 1936.)
This chapter, referred to in subsecs. (d) and (e)(1), was in the original “this title”, meaning title VI of Pub. L. 109–347, Oct. 13, 2006, 120 Stat. 1936, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of title VI to the Code, see Short Title note set out below and Tables.
Pub. L. 109–347, title VI, §601, Oct. 13, 2006, 120 Stat. 1936, provided that: “This title [enacting this chapter, section 314a of Title 6, Domestic Security, and section 5189e of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, and amending section 101 of Title 6 and sections 5150, 5172, 5173, and 5184 of Title 42] may be cited as the ‘Warning, Alert, and Response Network Act’.”
Not later than 60 days after October 13, 2006, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission shall establish an advisory committee, to be known as the Commercial Mobile Service Alert Advisory Committee (referred to in this section as the “Advisory Committee”).
The 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:
Representatives of State and local governments and representatives of emergency response providers, selected from among individuals nominated by national organizations representing such governments and personnel.
Representatives from Federally recognized Indian tribes and National Indian organizations.
Individuals 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;
(C) third-party service bureaus;
(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.
Qualified representatives of such other stakeholders and interested and affected parties as the chairman deems appropriate.
Within 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.
The initial meeting of the Advisory Committee shall take place not later than 60 days after October 13, 2006.
After the initial meeting, the Advisory Committee shall meet at the call of the chair.
Any meetings held by the Advisory Committee shall be duly noticed at least 14 days in advance and shall be open to the public.
One-third of the members of the Advisory Committee shall constitute a quorum for conducting business of the Advisory Committee.
To assist the Advisory Committee in carrying out its functions, the chair may establish appropriate subcommittees composed of members of the Advisory Committee and other subject matter experts as deemed necessary.
The Advisory Committee may adopt other rules as needed.
Neither the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) nor any rule, order, or regulation promulgated under that Act shall apply to the Advisory Committee.
The Advisory Committee shall consult with the National Institute of Standards and Technology in its work on developing recommendations under paragraphs (2) and (3) of subsection (c).
(Pub. L. 109–347, title VI, §603, Oct. 13, 2006, 120 Stat. 1938.)
The Federal Advisory Committee Act, referred to in subsec. (f), is Pub. L. 92–463, Oct. 6, 1972, 86 Stat. 770, which is set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.
The Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Science and Technology, in consultation with the director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, shall establish a research, development, testing, and evaluation program based on the recommendations of the Commercial Mobile Service Alert Advisory Committee, established pursuant to section 1202(a) of this title, to support the development of technologies to increase the number of commercial mobile service devices that can receive emergency alerts.
The 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.)
The Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall establish a program under which grants may be made to provide for outdoor alerting technologies in remote communities effectively unserved by commercial mobile service (as determined by the Federal Communications Commission within 180 days after October 13, 2006) for the purpose of enabling residents of those communities to receive emergency alerts.
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.
The Under Secretary may not make grants under subsection (a) more than 5 years after October 13, 2006.
The sum of the amounts awarded for all fiscal years as grants under this section may not exceed $10,000,000.
(Pub. L. 109–347, title VI, §605, Oct. 13, 2006, 120 Stat. 1940.)
In addition to any amounts provided by appropriation Acts, funding for this chapter shall be provided from the Digital Transition and Public Safety Fund in accordance with section 3010 of the Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005 (47 U.S.C. 309 note).
The Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information shall compensate any such broadcast station licensee or permittee for reasonable costs incurred in complying with the requirements imposed pursuant to section 1201(c) of this title from funds made available under this section. The Assistant Secretary shall ensure that sufficient funds are made available to effectuate geographically targeted alerts.
The Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information, in consultation with the Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Science and Technology and the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, may borrow from the Treasury beginning on October 1, 2006, such sums as may be necessary, but not to exceed $106,000,000, to implement this chapter. The Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information shall ensure that the Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Science and Technology and the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere are provided adequate funds to carry out their responsibilities under sections 1203 and 1204 of this title. The Treasury shall be reimbursed, without interest, from amounts in the Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Fund as funds are deposited into the Fund.
(Pub. L. 109–347, title VI, §606, Oct. 13, 2006, 120 Stat. 1941.)
This chapter, referred to in subsecs. (a) and (c), was in the original “this title”, meaning title VI of Pub. L. 109–347, Oct. 13, 2006, 120 Stat. 1936, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of title VI to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1201 of this title and Tables.
Section 3010 of the Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005, referred to in subsec. (a), is section 3010 of Pub. L. 109–171, which is set out in a note under section 309 of this title.