FCC Issues Agenda for August 7 Open Meeting

The FCC issued the agenda for its August 7 open meeting, where it will consider: 

• Establishing a Missing and Endangered Persons Alert Code – A Report and Order to establish a Missing and Endangered Persons event code that will provide law enforcement, EAS Participants, and WEA providers with a means to quickly disseminate information pertaining to missing and endangered persons cases.
• Protecting Consumers from Unwanted Artificial Intelligence Robocalls – An NPRM that would propose steps to protect consumers from the abuse of AI in robocalls and robotexts alongside actions that clear the path for positive uses of AI, including its use to improve access to the telephone network for people with disabilities.
• Strengthening a Key Tool for Combatting Robocalls – An NPRM that would propose and seek comment on procedural measures to promote the highest level of diligence when providers submit required information to the Robocall Mitigation Database, technical validation solutions to identify data discrepancies in filings, and accountability measures to ensure and improve the overall quality of submissions in the Robocall Mitigation Database.

E-Rate Cybersecurity Pilot Program R&O Effective August 29

The report and order establishing the Schools and Libraries Cybersecurity Pilot Program and providing up to $200 million in Universal Service Fund support available to eligible schools and libraries over a three-year period to defray the costs of cybersecurity services and equipment was published in the Federal Register. The order is effective August 29, 2024, except for amendatory instruction 3 (adding sections 54.2004, 54.2005, and 54.2006) and amendatory instruction 4 (adding Section 54.2008), which are delayed indefinitely.

Senate Committee Passes Global AI Innovation Bill

The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee passed the bipartisan Future of AI Innovation Act to maintain U.S. leadership in the global race to develop artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies. Led by Sens. Maria Cantwell (D-WA), chair of the Committee,Todd Young (R-IN), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Roger Wicker (R-MiS) and Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), the bill promotes strong partnerships between government, business, civil society and academia to advance AI research.

It authorizes the U.S. Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute (AISI) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). It creates testbeds with national labs to accelerate groundbreaking AI innovation to spur future economic growth and protect national security. Read the full press release here.

Senators Offer Bill to Speed Broadband Permits

The Senate Communications, Media and Broadband Subcommittee Ranking Member John Thune (R-SD), Subcommittee Chairman Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), and Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) introduced a bill aimed at improving the processing of applications for easements, rights of way or leases for communications facility installations.

Specifically, the Accelerating Broadband Permits Act would require federal executive branch agencies that receive applications for access to buildings or other property they control to install, modify, or maintain a communications facility to develop controls to track the processing time for each application; to analyze, address, and report to relevant committees on any factors that cause delay; and to develop a method of alerting staff to any application in danger of missing the 270-day processing deadline established in the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012. The bill would also add a minimum broadband project cost of $5 million to the definition of a “covered project” eligible for expedited review under the FAST Act.