H.R. 7624 — what changed

added Section 4(k) of the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 (47 U.S.C. 1603(k)) is amended by striking “$1,900,000,000” and inserting “$5,300,000,000”.

added “(4) Additional duties of the office with respect to next generation 9–1–1

added “(A) Additional duties—The Office shall—

added “(i) take actions, in concert with the coordinators designated in accordance with section 159(b)(3)(A)(ii), to improve coordination and communication with respect to the implementation of Next Generation 9–1–1;

added “(ii) develop, collect, and disseminate information concerning the practices, procedures, and technology used in the implementation of Next Generation 9–1–1;

added “(iii) advise and assist eligible entities in the preparation of implementation plans required under section 159(b)(2)(A)(iii);

added “(iv) provide technical assistance to eligible entities provided a grant under section 159(b) in support of efforts to explore efficiencies related to Next Generation 9–1–1;

added “(v) receive, review, and recommend to the Assistant Secretary and the Administrator the approval or disapproval of applications for grants under section 159(b); and

added “(vi) oversee the use of funds provided by such grants in fulfilling such implementation plans.

added “(B) Annual reports—Not later than October 1, 2023, and each year thereafter until funds made available to make grants under section 159(b) are no longer available to be expended, the Assistant Secretary and the Administrator shall submit to Congress a report on the activities conducted by the Office under subparagraph (A) in the year preceding the submission of the report.”

added “159. Coordination of next generation 9–1–1 implementation

added “(a) Additional functions of 9–1–1 implementation coordination office

added “(1) Management plan

added “(A) Development—The Assistant Secretary and the Administrator shall develop a management plan for the grant program established under this section, including by developing—

added “(i) plans related to the organizational structure of such program; and

added “(ii) funding profiles for each fiscal year of the duration of such program.

added “(B) Submission to Congress—Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this section, the Assistant Secretary and the Administrator shall—

added “(i) submit the management plan developed under subparagraph (A) to—

added “(I) the Committees on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and Appropriations of the Senate; and

added “(II) the Committees on Energy and Commerce and Appropriations of the House of Representatives; and

added “(ii) publish the management plan developed under subparagraph (A) on the website of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.

added “(2) Modification of plan

added “(A) Modification—The Assistant Secretary and the Administrator may modify the management plan developed under paragraph (1)(A).

added “(B) Submission—Not later than 90 days after the plan is modified under subparagraph (A), the Assistant Secretary and the Administrator shall—

added “(i) submit the modified plan to—

added “(I) the Committees on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and Appropriations of the Senate; and

added “(II) the Committees on Energy and Commerce and Appropriations of the House of Representatives; and

added “(ii) publish the modified plan on the website of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.

added “(b) Next generation 9–1–1 implementation grants

added “(1) Grants—The Assistant Secretary and the Administrator, acting through the Office, shall provide grants to eligible entities for—

added “(A) implementing Next Generation 9–1–1;

added “(B) maintaining Next Generation 9–1–1;

added “(C) training directly related to implementing, maintaining, and operating Next Generation 9–1–1 if the cost related to the training does not exceed 3 percent of the total grant award;

added “(D) public outreach and education on how the public can best use Next Generation 9–1–1 and the capabilities and usefulness of Next Generation 9–1–1;

added “(E) administrative costs associated with planning of Next Generation 9–1–1, including any cost related to planning for and preparing an application and related materials as required by this subsection, if—

added “(i) the cost is fully documented in materials submitted to the Office; and

added “(ii) the cost is reasonable, necessary, and does not exceed 1 percent of the total grant award; and

added “(F) costs associated with implementing cybersecurity measures at emergency communications centers or with respect to Next Generation 9–1–1.

added “(2) Application—In providing grants under paragraph (1), the Assistant Secretary and the Administrator, acting through the Office, shall require an eligible entity to submit to the Office an application, at the time and in the manner determined by the Assistant Secretary and the Administrator, and containing the certification required by paragraph (3).

added “(3) Coordination required—Each eligible entity shall include in the application required by paragraph (2) a certification that—

added “(A) in the case of an eligible entity that is a State, the entity—

added “(i) has coordinated the application with the emergency communications centers located within the jurisdiction of the entity;

added “(ii) has designated a single officer or governmental body to serve as the State point of contact to coordinate the implementation of Next Generation 9–1–1 for that State, except that such designation need not vest such officer or governmental body with direct legal authority to implement Next Generation 9–1–1 or to manage emergency communications operations; and

added “(iii) has developed and submitted a plan for the coordination and implementation of Next Generation 9–1–1 that—

added “(I) ensures interoperability by requiring the use of commonly accepted standards;

added “(II) ensures reliable operations;

added “(III) enables emergency communications centers to process, analyze, and store multimedia, data, and other information;

added “(IV) incorporates cybersecurity tools, including intrusion detection and prevention measures;

added “(V) includes strategies for coordinating cybersecurity information sharing between Federal, State, Tribal, and local government partners;

added “(VI) uses open and competitive request for proposal processes, including through shared government procurement vehicles, for deployment of Next Generation 9–1–1;

added “(VII) documents how input was received and accounted for from relevant rural and urban emergency communications centers, regional authorities, local authorities, and Tribal authorities;

added “(VIII) includes a governance body or bodies, either by creation of new, or use of existing, body or bodies, for the development and deployment of Next Generation 9–1–1 that—

added “(aa) ensures full notice and opportunity for participation by relevant stakeholders; and

added “(bb) consults and coordinates with the State point of contact required by clause (ii);

added “(IX) creates efficiencies related to Next Generation 9–1–1 functions, including cybersecurity and the virtualization and sharing of infrastructure, equipment, and services; and

added “(X) utilizes an effective, competitive approach to establishing authentication, credentialing, secure connections, and access in deploying Next Generation 9–1–1, including by—

added “(aa) requiring certificate authorities to be capable of cross-certification with other authorities;

added “(bb) avoiding risk of a single point of failure or vulnerability; and

added “(cc) adhering to Federal agency best practices such as those promulgated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology; and

added “(B) in the case of an eligible entity that is a Tribal Organization, the Tribal Organization has complied with clauses (i) and (iii) of subparagraph (A).

added “(4) Criteria

added “(A) In general—Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this section, the Assistant Secretary and the Administrator shall issue regulations, after providing the public with notice and an opportunity to comment, prescribing the criteria for selection for grants under this subsection.

added “(B) Requirements—The criteria shall—

added “(i) include performance requirements and a schedule for completion of any project to be financed by a grant under this subsection; and

added “(ii) specifically permit regional or multi-State applications for funds.

added “(C) Updates—The Assistant Secretary and the Administrator shall update such regulations as necessary.

added “(5) Grant certifications—Each eligible entity shall certify to the Assistant Secretary and the Administrator at the time of application, and each eligible entity that receives such a grant shall certify to the Assistant Secretary and the Administrator annually thereafter during any period of time the funds from the grant are available to the eligible entity, that—

added “(A) beginning on the date that is 180 days before the date on which the application as filed, no portion of any 9–1–1 fee or charge imposed by the eligible entity (or in the case that the eligible entity is not a State or Tribal organization, any State or taxing jurisdiction within which the eligible entity will carry out, or is carrying out, activities using grant funds) are obligated or expended for a purpose or function not designated under the rules issued pursuant to section 6(f)(3) of the Wireless Communications and Public Safety Act of 1999 (47 U.S.C. 615a–1(f)(3)) (as such rules are in effect on the date on which the eligible entity makes the certification) as acceptable;

added “(B) any funds received by the eligible entity will be used consistent with subsection (b)(1) to support the deployment of Next Generation 9–1–1 that ensures reliability and interoperability, by requiring the use of commonly accepted standards;

added “(C) the eligible entity (or in the case that the eligible entity is not a State or Tribal organization, any State or taxing jurisdiction within which the eligible entity will carry out or is carrying out activities using grant funds) has established, or has committed to establish not later than 3 years following the date on which the grant funds are distributed to the eligible entity—

added “(i) a sustainable funding mechanism for Next Generation 9–1–1; and

added “(ii) effective cybersecurity resources for Next Generation 9–1–1;

added “(D) the eligible entity will promote interoperability between emergency communications centers deploying Next Generation 9–1–1 and emergency response providers, including users of the nationwide public safety broadband network;

added “(E) the eligible entity has or will take steps to coordinate with adjoining States and Tribes to establish and maintain Next Generation 9–1–1; and

added “(F) the eligible entity has developed a plan for public outreach and education on how the public can best use Next Generation 9–1–1 and on the capabilities and usefulness of Next Generation 9–1–1.

added “(6) Condition of grant—Each eligible entity shall agree, as a condition of receipt of a grant made under this subsection, that if any State or taxing jurisdiction within which the eligible entity will carry out activities using grant funds, during any period of time during which the funds from the grant are available to the eligible entity, fails to comply a certification required under paragraph (5), all of the funds from such grant shall be returned to the Office.

added “(7) Penalty for providing false information—Any eligible entity that provides a certification under paragraph (5) knowing that the information provided in the certification was false shall—

added “(A) not be eligible to receive the grant under this subsection;

added “(B) return any grant awarded under this subsection; and

added “(C) not be eligible to receive any subsequent grants under this subsection.

added “(8) Prohibition—Grant funds provided under this subsection may not be used—

added “(A) to support any activity of the First Responder Network Authority; or

added “(B) to make any payments to a person who has been, for reasons of national security, prohibited by any entity of the Federal Government from bidding on a contract, participating in an auction, or receiving a grant.

added “(c) Definitions—In this section and sections 160 and 161:

added “(1) 9–1–1 fee or charge—The term 9–1–1 fee or charge has the meaning given such term in section 6(f)(3)(D) of the Wireless Communications and Public Safety Act of 1999 (47 U.S.C. 615a–1(f)(3)(D)), as such rules are in effect as of the date of the certification.

added “(2) 9–1–1 request for emergency assistance—The term 9–1–1 request for emergency assistance means a communication, such as voice, text, picture, multimedia, or any other type of data that is sent to a facility for the purpose of requesting emergency assistance.

added “(3) Administrator—The term Administrator means the Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

added “(4) Commonly accepted standards—The term commonly accepted standards mean the technical standards followed by the communications industry for network, device, and Internet Protocol connectivity that—

added “(A) enable interoperability; and

added “(B) are—

added “(i) developed and approved by a standards development organization that is accredited by an American or international standards body (such as the American National Standards Institute or International Code Council) in a process—

added “(I) that is open to the public, including open for participation by any person; and

added “(II) provides for a conflict resolution process;

added “(ii) subject to an open comment and input process before being finalized by the standards development organization;

added “(iii) consensus-based; and

added “(iv) made publicly available once approved.

added “(5) Cost related to training—The term cost related to training means—

added “(A) actual wages incurred for travel and attendance, including any necessary overtime pay and backfill wage;

added “(B) travel expenses;

added “(C) instructor expenses; or

added “(D) facility costs and training materials.

added “(6) Eligible entity—The term eligible entity—

added “(A) means a State or a Tribal organization (as defined in section 4(l) of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304));

added “(B) may be an entity, including a public authority, board, or commission, established by one or more entities described in subparagraph (A); and

added “(C) does not include any entity that has failed to submit the certifications required under subsection (b)(5).

added “(7) Emergency communications center—The term emergency communications center—

added “(A) means a facility that—

added “(i) is designated to receive a 9–1–1 request for emergency assistance; and

added “(ii) performs one or more of the following functions—

added “(I) process and analyze 9–1–1 requests for emergency assistance and information and data related to such requests;

added “(II) dispatch appropriate emergency response providers;

added “(III) transfer or exchange 9–1–1 requests for emergency assistance and information and data related to such requests with one or more facilities described under this paragraph and emergency response providers;

added “(IV) analyze any communications received from emergency response providers; and

added “(V) support incident command functions; or

added “(B) may be a public safety answering point, as defined in section 222 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 222).

added “(8) Emergency response provider—The term emergency response provider has the meaning given that term under section 2 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 101).

added “(9) First responder network authority—The term First Responder Network Authority means the authority established under 6204 of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1424).

added “(10) Interoperable—The term interoperable or interoperability means the capability of emergency communications centers to receive 9–1–1 requests for emergency assistance and information/data related to such requests, such as location information and callback numbers from a person initiating the request, then process and share the 9–1–1 requests for emergency assistance and information/data related to such requests with other emergency communications centers and emergency response providers without the need for proprietary interfaces and regardless of jurisdiction, equipment, device, software, service provider, or other relevant factors.

added “(11) Nationwide public safety broadband network—The term nationwide public safety broadband network has the meaning given the term in section 6001 of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1401).

added “(12) Next generation 9–1–1—The term Next Generation 9–1–1 means an interoperable, secure, Internet Protocol-based system that—

added “(A) employs commonly accepted standards;

added “(B) enables emergency communications centers to receive, process, and analyze all types of 9–1–1 requests for emergency assistance;

added “(C) acquires and integrates additional information useful to handling 9–1–1 requests for emergency assistance; and

added “(D) supports sharing information related to 9–1–1 requests for emergency assistance among emergency communications centers and emergency response providers.

added “(13) Office—The term Office means the 9–1–1 Implementation Coordination Office established under section 158.

added “(14) Reliability—The term reliability or reliable means the employment of sufficient measures to ensure the ongoing operation of Next Generation 9–1–1 including through the use of geo-diverse, device- and network-agnostic elements that provide more than one route between end points with no common points where a single failure at that point would cause all to fail.

added “(15) State—The term State means any State of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the United States Virgin Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, and any other territory or possession of the United States.

added “(16) Sustainable funding mechanism—The term sustainable funding mechanism means a funding mechanism that provides adequate revenues to cover ongoing expenses, including operations, maintenance, and upgrades.

added “(d) Savings provision—Nothing in this title, or any amendment made by this title, shall affect any application pending or grant awarded under section 158 of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization Act (47 U.S.C. 942) before the date of the enactment of this section.

added “160. Establishment of nationwide Next Generation 9–1–1 Cybersecurity Center

added “The Assistant Secretary and the Administrator shall establish a Next Generation 9–1–1 Cybersecurity Center to Coordinate with State, local, and regional governments on the sharing of cybersecurity information about, the analysis of cybersecurity threats to, and guidelines for strategies to detect and prevent cybersecurity intrusions relating to Next-Generation 9–1–1.

added “161. Next Generation 9–1–1 Advisory Board

added “(a) Next generation 9–1–1 advisory board

added “(1) Establishment—The Assistant Secretary and the Administrator, acting through the Office, shall establish a “Public Safety Next Generation 9–1–1 Advisory Board” (in this section referred to as the “Board”) to provide recommendations to the Office—

added “(A) with respect to carrying out the duties and responsibilities of the Office in issuing the regulations required under section 159(b);

added “(B) as required by paragraph (7); and

added “(C) upon request under paragraph (8).

added “(2) Membership

added “(A) Voting members—Not later than 150 days after the date of enactment of this section, the Assistant Secretary and the Administrator, acting through the Office, shall appoint 16 public safety members to the Board, of which—

added “(i) 4 members shall represent local law enforcement officials;

added “(ii) 4 members shall represent fire and rescue officials;

added “(iii) 4 members shall represent emergency medical service officials; and

added “(iv) 4 members shall represent 9–1–1 professionals.

added “(B) Diversity of membership—Members shall be representatives of State or Tribes and local governments, chosen to reflect geographic and population density differences as well as public safety organizations at the national level across the United States.

added “(C) Expertise—All members shall have specific expertise necessary for developing technical requirements under this section, such as technical expertise, and expertise related to public safety communications and 9–1–1 services.

added “(D) Rank and file members—A rank and file member from each of the public safety disciplines listed in clauses (i) through (iv) of subparagraph (A) shall be appointed as a member of the Board and shall be selected from an organization that represents their public safety discipline at the national level.

added “(3) Period of appointment

added “(A) In general—Except as provided in subparagraph (B), members of the Board shall serve for a 3-year term.

added “(B) Removal for cause—A member of the Board may be removed for cause upon the determination of the Assistant Secretary and the Administrator.

added “(4) Vacancies—Any vacancy in the Board shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.

added “(5) Quorum—A majority of the members of the Board shall constitute a quorum.

added “(6) Chairperson and vice chairperson—The Board shall select a Chairperson and Vice Chairperson from among the voting members of the Board.

added “(7) Duty of board to submit recommendations—Not later than 120 days after all members of the Board are appointed under paragraph (2), the Board shall submit to the Office recommendations for the following—

added “(A) deploying Next Generation 9–1–1 in rural and urban areas;

added “(B) ensuring flexibility in guidance, rules, and grant funding to allow for technology improvements;

added “(C) creating efficiencies related to Next Generation 9–1–1, including cybersecurity and the virtualization and sharing of core infrastructure;

added “(D) enabling effective coordination among State, local, Tribal, and territorial government entities to ensure that the needs of emergency communications centers in both rural and urban areas are taken into account in each implementation plan required under section 159(b)(2)(A)(iii); and

added “(E) incorporating existing cybersecurity resources to Next Generation 9–1–1 procurement and deployment.

added “(8) Authority to provide additional recommendations—Except as provided in paragraphs (1) and (7), the Board may provide recommendations to the Office only upon request of the Office.

added “(9) Duration of authority—The Board shall terminate on the date on which funds made available to make grants under section 159(b) are no longer available to be expended.

added “(b) Rule of construction—Nothing in this section may be construed as limiting the authority of the Office to seek comment from stakeholders and the public.”

added Part B of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization Act (47 U.S.C. 921 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

added “120. Incumbent informing capability

added “(a) In general—The Assistant Secretary shall—

added “(1) not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this section, begin to amend the Department of Commerce spectrum management document entitled “Manual of Regulations and Procedures for Federal Radio Frequency Management” so as to incorporate an incumbent informing capability; and

added “(2) not later than the date on which the total amount of funds required to be made available from the Public Safety and Secure Networks Fund under section 601(c)(3) of the Spectrum Innovation Act of 2022 is so made available, begin to implement such capability, including the development and testing of such capability.

added “(b) Establishment of the incumbent informing capability

added “(1) In general—The incumbent informing capability required by subsection (a) shall include a system to enable sharing, including time-based sharing and coordination, to securely manage harmful interference between non-Federal users and incumbent Federal entities sharing a band of covered spectrum and between Federal entities sharing a band of covered spectrum.

added “(2) Requirements—The system required by paragraph (1) shall contain, at a minimum, the following:

added “(A) One or more mechanisms to allow non-Federal use in covered spectrum, as authorized by the rules of the Commission. Such mechanism or mechanisms shall include interfaces to commercial sharing systems, as appropriate.

added “(B) One or more mechanisms to facilitate Federal-to-Federal sharing, as authorized by the NTIA.

added “(C) One or more mechanisms to prevent, eliminate, or mitigate harmful interference to incumbent Federal entities, including one or more of the following functions:

added “(i) Sensing.

added “(ii) Identification.

added “(iii) Reporting.

added “(iv) Analysis.

added “(v) Resolution.

added “(D) Dynamic coordination area analysis, definition, and control, if appropriate for a band.

added “(3) Compliance with Commission rules—The incumbent informing capability required by subsection (a) shall ensure that use of covered spectrum is in accordance with the applicable rules of the Commission.

added “(4) Input of information

added “(A) In general—Each incumbent Federal entity sharing a band of covered spectrum shall—

added “(i) input into the system required by paragraph (1) such information as the Assistant Secretary may require, including the frequency, time, and location of the use of the band by such Federal entity; and

added “(ii) to the extent practicable, input such information into such system on an automated basis.

added “(B) Payment of costs—Notwithstanding subsections (c) through (e) of section 118 and subparagraphs (C) through (E) of subsection (g)(2) of such section, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, in consultation with the Assistant Secretary, may use amounts available in the Spectrum Relocation Fund to pay the costs incurred by Federal entities to input information as required by subparagraph (A).

added “(5) Protection of classified information and controlled unclassified information—The system required by paragraph (1) shall contain appropriate measures to protect classified information and controlled unclassified information, including any such classified information or controlled unclassified information that relates to military operations.

added “(c) Briefing—Not later than 1 year after the date on which the total amount of funds required to be made available from the Public Safety and Secure Networks Fund under section 601(c)(3) of the Spectrum Innovation Act of 2022 is so made available, the Assistant Secretary shall provide a briefing on the implementation of this section to the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate.

added “(d) Definitions—In this section:

added “(1) Covered spectrum—The term “covered spectrum” means—

added “(A) electromagnetic spectrum for which usage rights are assigned to or authorized for (including before the date on which the incumbent informing capability required by subsection (a) is implemented) a non-Federal user or class of non-Federal users for use on a shared basis with an incumbent Federal entity in accordance with the rules of the Commission; and

added “(B) electromagnetic spectrum allocated on a primary or co-primary basis for Federal use that is shared among Federal entities.

added “(2) Federal entity—The term “Federal entity” has the meaning given such term in section 113(l).

added “(3) Incumbent informing capability—The term “incumbent informing capability” means a capability to facilitate the sharing of covered spectrum.

added “(e) Rule of construction—Nothing in this section shall be construed to alter or expand the authority of the NTIA as described in section 113(j)(1).”