Bill > HR4856

This bill, the Reliable Emergency Alert Distribution Improvement (READI) Act of 2019, aims to improve oversight by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) of the wireless and broadcast emergency alert systems. The key provisions of the bill include: 1. Amending the Warning, Alert, and Response Network Act to limit the types of alerts that can be issued through the Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) System to only those issued by the President or the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator. 2. Requiring the FCC to adopt regulations encouraging states to establish or review State Emergency Communications Committees (SECCs) and submit updated State Emergency Alert System (EAS) plans to the FCC annually for approval. 3. Directing FEMA to develop guidance on how state, tribal, and local governments can participate in the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System while maintaining its integrity. 4. Requiring the FCC, in consultation with FEMA, to establish a system for receiving and recording reports of false alerts under the EAS and WEA systems to examine their causes. 5. Directing the FCC, in consultation with FEMA, to modify the EAS to allow for the repeating of emergency alert messages while an alert remains pending, as issued by the President, FEMA Administrator, or other specified entities. 6. Requiring the FCC to examine the feasibility of updating the EAS to enable or improve alerts to consumers through the internet and streaming services.

Business and Industry, Military Affairs and Security

https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/4856/all-info