IB 
Union Calendar No. 480 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6096 
[Report No. 116–582, Part I] 
To improve oversight by the Federal Communications Commission of the 
wireless and broadcast emergency alert systems. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 5, 2020 
Mr. MCNERNEY (for himself, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mr. OLSON, and Ms. GABBARD) 
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on En-
ergy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation 
and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within 
the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
NOVEMBER 16, 2020 
Reported from the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
NOVEMBER 16, 2020 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure discharged; committed to the 
Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered 
to be printed 
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A BILL 
To improve oversight by the Federal Communications Com-
mission of the wireless and broadcast emergency alert 
systems. 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Reliable Emergency 
Alert Distribution Improvement Act of 2020’’ or the 
‘‘READI Act’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act— 
(1) the term ‘‘Administrator’’ means the Ad-
ministrator of the Federal Emergency Management 
Agency; 
(2) the term ‘‘Commission’’ means the Federal 
Communications Commission; 
(3) the term ‘‘Emergency Alert System’’ means 
the national public warning system, the rules for 
which are set forth in part 11 of title 47, Code of 
Federal Regulations (or any successor regulation); 
and 
(4) the term ‘‘Wireless Emergency Alert Sys-
tem’’ means the wireless national public warning 
system established under the Warning, Alert, and 
Response Network Act (47 U.S.C. 1201 et seq.), the 
rules for which are set forth in part 10 of title 47, 
Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regu-
lation). 
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SEC. 3. WIRELESS EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM OFFERINGS. 
(a) AMENDMENT.—Section 602(b)(2)(E) of the 
Warning, Alert, and Response Network Act (47 U.S.C. 
1201(b)(2)(E)) is amended— 
(1) by striking the second and third sentences; 
and 
(2) by striking ‘‘other than an alert issued by 
the President.’’ and inserting the following: ‘‘other 
than an alert issued by— 
‘‘(i) the President; or 
‘‘(ii) the Administrator of the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency.’’. 
(b) REGULATIONS.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall 
adopt regulations to implement the amendment made by 
subsection (a)(2). 
SEC. 4. STATE EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM PLANS AND 
EMERGENCY 
COMMUNICATIONS 
COMMIT-
TEES. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 
(1) the term ‘‘SECC’’ means a State Emer-
gency Communications Committee; 
(2) the term ‘‘State’’ means any State of the 
United States, the District of Columbia, the Com-
monwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin 
Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Common-
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wealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and any 
possession of the United States; and 
(3) the term ‘‘State EAS Plan’’ means a State 
Emergency Alert System Plan as required in part 11 
of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations. 
(b) STATE EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS COM-
MITTEE.—Not later than 180 days after the date of enact-
ment of this Act, the Commission shall adopt regulations 
that— 
(1) encourage the chief executive of each 
State— 
(A) to establish an SECC if the State does 
not have an SECC; or 
(B) if the State has an SECC, to review 
the composition and governance of the SECC; 
(2) provide that— 
(A) each SECC, not less frequently than 
annually, shall— 
(i) meet to review and update its 
State EAS Plan; 
(ii) certify to the Commission that the 
SECC has met as required under clause 
(i); and 
(iii) submit to the Commission an up-
dated State EAS Plan; and 
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(B) not later than 60 days after the date 
on which the Commission receives an updated 
State EAS Plan under subparagraph (A)(iii), 
the Commission shall— 
(i) approve or disapprove the updated 
State EAS Plan; and 
(ii) notify the chief executive of the 
State of the Commission’s findings; and 
(3) establish a State EAS Plan content check-
list for SECCs to use when reviewing and updating 
a State EAS Plan for submission to the Commission 
under paragraph (2)(A). 
(c) CONSULTATION.—The Commission shall consult 
with the Administrator regarding the adoption of regula-
tions under subsection (b)(3). 
SEC. 5. FALSE ALERT REPORTING. 
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Commission, in consultation with the Ad-
ministrator, shall complete a rulemaking proceeding to es-
tablish a system to receive from the Administrator or 
State, Tribal, or local governments reports of false alerts 
under the Emergency Alert System or the Wireless Emer-
gency Alert System for the purpose of recording such false 
alerts and examining their causes. 
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