Wireless Microphone Users Interference Protection Act of 2013

To require the Federal Communications Commission to expand eligibility for part 74 licenses to certain wireless microphone users, to establish safe haven channels for wireless microphones, and to authorize access by owners and operators of wireless microphones to the TV bands databases for the purpose of protecting wireless microphone operations from interference. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Wireless Microphone Users Interference Protection Act of 2013 2. Eligibility for part 74 licenses Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Federal Communications Commission shall take such actions as are necessary to expand eligibility for licenses under section 74.832 (1) Amusement parks. (2) Arenas. (3) Convention centers. (4) Educational facilities. (5) Houses of worship. (6) Lodging facilities. (7) Museums. (8) Outdoor venues. (9) Recording studios. (10) Theaters. 3. Expanding scope of service rule Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Federal Communications Commission shall expand the scope of service and permissible transmissions currently set forth in section 74.831 4. Safe haven channels The Federal Communications Commission shall establish 2 safe haven channels for exclusive use by wireless microphone users that are each 6 MHz in the spectrum ranging from 470 MHz to 698 MHz, inclusive, other than frequencies identified as guard bands and the mid-band gap between the frequencies designated for uplink and downlink service in auctioned 600 MHz spectrum. 5. Access to TV bands databases (a) Authorization The Federal Communications Commission shall authorize the owners and operators of wireless microphones (and their appointed technical representatives) to have access to the TV bands databases described in subpart H of part 15 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, for the purpose of protecting wireless microphone operations from interference. (b) Registration sites Sites that may be registered in the TV bands databases as sites where wireless microphone operations shall be protected pursuant to subsection (a) include the following: (1) Amusement parks. (2) Arenas. (3) Convention centers. (4) Educational facilities. (5) Houses of worship. (6) Lodging facilities. (7) Museums. (8) Outdoor venues. (9) Recording studios. (10) Restaurants. (11) Theaters. 6. Definitions For purposes of this Act, the following definitions apply: (1) Amusement park The term amusement park (2) Arena The term arena (3) Convention center The term convention center (4) Educational facility The term educational facility (5) House of worship The term house of worship (6) Lodging facility The term lodging facility (7) Museum The term museum (8) Outdoor venue The term outdoor venue (9) Recording studio The term recording studio (10) Restaurant The term restaurant (11) Theater The term theater (12) Wireless microphone The term wireless microphone

Summary: Wireless Microphone Users Interference Protection Act of 2013 - Directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to expand eligibility for specified licenses authorizing the operation of low power auxiliary stations to the owners of, and operators of events and performances at: amusement parks, arenas, convention centers, educational facilities, houses of worship, lodging facilities, museums, outdoor venues, recording studios, and theaters. Requires the FCC to: (1) expand scope of service and permissible transmission regulations to include the use of wireless microphones in rehearsals and live or recorded events and performances by such licensees, and (2) establish two safe haven channels for exclusive use by wireless microphone users. Directs the FCC to authorize owners and operators of wireless microphones to have access to TV bands databases to protect wireless microphone operations from interference. (The purpose of the TV bands database is to provide unlicensed Television Band Devices [TVBDs] with the available TV channels at the TVBD's location and to register fixed TVBDs and other locations protected from interference that are not otherwise recorded in FCC licensing databases.) Permits restaurants, as well as the persons and entities made eligible for licenses by this Act, to be registered in such databases as sites where wireless microphone operations shall be protected from interference.