Emergency Reporting Act
Summary
The Emergency Reporting Act directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to issue reports after the activation of the Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS) and to improve network outage reporting. It mandates public hearings and subsequent reports on events where DIRS is activated for at least 7 days. These reports will include data on outages of various communication services and recommendations for improving network resilience.
Expected Effects
The act aims to enhance transparency and accountability in the FCC's response to communication disruptions during disasters. It will likely lead to improved network resilience and better emergency communication services. The act also mandates investigations into the value of including visual information in outage notifications and the volume of unreported 9-1-1 outages.
Potential Benefits
- Improved communication network resilience during disasters.
- Enhanced transparency through public hearings and published reports.
- Better situational awareness for public safety agencies through improved outage notifications.
- Identification and correction of unreported 9-1-1 outages.
- Inclusion of diverse stakeholders in the review process, ensuring comprehensive feedback.
Potential Disadvantages
- Potential burden on the FCC to conduct investigations and produce reports.
- Possible costs for service providers to implement recommended changes.
- Risk of excluding sensitive information from public reports.
- Limited authority over broadband internet access service providers.
- The act relies on self-reporting, which may lead to incomplete data.
Constitutional Alignment
The Emergency Reporting Act appears to align with the Commerce Clause (Article I, Section 8, Clause 3) of the U.S. Constitution, which grants Congress the power to regulate interstate commerce, including communication networks. The act aims to improve communication infrastructure and emergency response capabilities, which can be seen as promoting the general welfare. The First Amendment implications related to freedom of speech are not directly impacted, as the act focuses on reporting and infrastructure improvements rather than content regulation.
Impact Assessment: Things You Care About ⓘ
This action has been evaluated across 19 key areas that matter to you. Scores range from 1 (highly disadvantageous) to 5 (highly beneficial).