Nelson Eyes January for Possible Introduction of NG-911 Legislation
Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Bill Nelson, D-Fla., is still drafting 911 legislation, which could carry out FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler's next-generation 911 legislative goals. Nelson first mentioned he would craft a bill on the topic during a September FCC oversight hearing, promising an introduction “in the near future” but without any movement in the months that followed. Lawmakers adjourned earlier this month, but Nelson didn’t forget his pledge.
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“Yeah, I’ll introduce it next year,” Nelson said in a recent interview, telling us he hopes to introduce the 911 legislation in January.
Wheeler’s initial call for legislation in 2015 got support from the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) and former Public Safety Bureau chiefs Jamie Barnett and David Turetsky, both of whom told us more than a year ago that congressional action was necessary (see 1508210043).
Incoming Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., supports the efforts and staff is in informal discussions, a Democratic staffer said. Schumer exchanged letters with Wheeler this fall where Wheeler outlined specific legislative ambitions (see 1611010029). Congress must “take action to create national enablers to accelerate the transition to NG911, lower its cost to PSAPs [public safety answering points], and institute critical cybersecurity protections,” Wheeler told Schumer. Nelson is the primary legislator, the staffer said.
During the September hearing, Nelson pegged his legislative goals to the advocacy of Wheeler, who repeatedly requested that Congress act on NG-911 for more than a year. The legislation would be crafted “to promote development and deployment of next-generation 911 services and make this transition a success,” Nelson said then. He suggested a desire for bipartisanship but told us this month he didn’t know how to assess the prospects for such a bill in the next Congress. A spokesman for Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., declined comment recently when asked about Nelson’s initiative, as did spokespeople for the FCC. Nelson spokespeople didn’t elaborate on Nelson’s timing, intended substance of the legislation or the consultation he may be doing as part of the drafting process. Details are scant, and public safety communications officials at NENA, APCO and elsewhere didn't comment on possible involvement when asked this month.
Rep. John Shimkus, R-Ill., a co-chair of the Congressional Next Generation 911 caucus, “has no immediate plans to introduce 9-1-1 legislation next year, but we’re always looking at ways to improve the system and look forward to seeing Senator Nelson’s bill,” his spokesman said. “This issue has consistently brought both parties together and Congressman Shimkus hopes to continue working on a bipartisan basis to improve 9-1-1 in the 115th Congress, regardless of what subcommittees he may serve on or chair.”
Barnett, now with Venable, told us recently there’s still strong need for “a concerted, national effort to upgrade” the 911 system. Congress should partner with states and provide funding for 911 infrastructure updates, without which the system will “become increasingly fragile,” said Barnett, saying one disaster could derail 911 systems for weeks or months and create an “unacceptable risk.” He noted the need for harmonizing next-gen 911 transitioning with the pending FirstNet broadband network: “Major telecommunication providers have targeted 2020 as the completion date for their transition to advanced, all-IP networks," he said. "By the same time, law enforcement, fire, and EMS responders in the field should have access to a nationwide mobile broadband network. Unless Congress acts, however, the critical link between the public and field responders will still be mired in incompatible and expensive-to-maintain last-century technology. That would be a tragedy.”