House Communications Hearing Planned Next Week on NG911, Other Public Safety Bills
The House Communications Subcommittee plans a hearing Tuesday on the Next Generation 911 Act (HR-6505) and six other public-safety communications measures, the Commerce Committee said Tuesday night. The newly refiled HR-6505 would appropriate an undefined amount of funding for next-generation 911 tech upgrades for FY 2026-30. NG911 advocates have been pressing Congress to identify a new funding source after Republican lawmakers decided against allocating future spectrum auction revenue for the tech upgrades in the July budget reconciliation package (see 2507080065).
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“Modernizing and strengthening these operations are critical to improving public safety in both urban and rural American communities,” said House Commerce Chairman Brett Guthrie, R-Ky., and Communications Chairman Richard Hudson, R-N.C., HR-6505's lead sponsor. “We look forward to evaluating the ways we can better equip first responders to safely and effectively do their jobs.” The hearing will begin at 10:15 a.m. in 2123 Rayburn.
Also on House Communications’ docket Tuesday: the Amateur Radio Emergency Preparedness Act (HR-1094), Public Safety Communications Act (HR-1519), Lulu’s Law (HR-2076), Emergency Reporting Act (HR-5200), Kari’s Law Reporting Act (HR-5201) and the unnumbered Mystic Alert Act. HR-1094 and Senate companion S-459 would bar most private land use restrictions that prohibit or hinder amateur radio operators from building antennas on their property. It would also set a 45-day shot clock for a community association or other governing entity to evaluate a proposed antenna restriction. HR-1519 would create an Office of Public Safety Communications within NTIA to administer NG911 funding and communicate policies to public and private entities.
HR-2076 and Senate-passed companion S-1003 would require the FCC to allow wireless emergency alerts for shark attacks. HR-5200 would direct the agency to issue reports and do field hearings after activating the disaster information reporting system. HR-5201 would mandate that the FCC report on the extent to which multiline telephone system manufacturers and vendors are complying with the 2018 Kari’s Law requirement that such systems give direct access to 911 without the need to dial a prefix. The Mystic Alert Act would require the FCC to pursue technical regulations for satellite-transmitted emergency alerts. The measure directs carriers to decide whether they intend to transmit emergency alerts via satellite and allow customers to opt out.