Bill > HR5200

This bill directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to improve reporting and transparency around communications network disruptions during disasters. Specifically, the bill requires the FCC to hold at least one public hearing annually about events where the Disaster Information Reporting System (DIRS) was activated for seven or more days. These hearings must include representatives from various stakeholder groups such as state and local governments, communications service providers, emergency managers, and consumer advocates. Following each hearing, the FCC must publish a detailed report within 120 days that includes information about network outages, including the number and duration of disruptions to broadband internet, voice-over-IP services, mobile services, and the potential number of users affected. The bill also mandates that the FCC conduct an investigation within one year to assess the value of including visual information in service outage notifications to emergency communication centers and to examine the potential volume of unreported 9-1-1 outages. The goal is to improve public safety communications infrastructure resilience during emergencies while maintaining reasonable reporting requirements for service providers. The bill explicitly states that it does not grant the FCC additional regulatory authority beyond the specific provisions outlined in the legislation.

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https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/5200/all-info