Broadband for First Responders Act of 2011

Bill: 112-s-1040
Sponsor: Sen. Lieberman, Joseph I. [ID-CT]
Introduced: 2011-05-19 in the Senate
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Emergency communications systems
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
First responders and emergency personnel
Government studies and investigations
Government trust funds
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Licensing and registrations
Telephone and wireless communication

Summary:
action_date: 2011-05-19
text: 
Broadband for First Responders Act of 2011 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to increase the electromagnetic spectrum allocation for public safety services by 10 megahertz and reduce such allocation for commercial use by the same amount.
 
Directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to: (1) allocate the paired electromagnetic spectrum bands of 758-763 megahertz and 788-793 megahertz (referred to as D Block) for public safety broadband communications and license such paired bands to public safety; (2) establish rules to permit a public safety broadband licensee to authorize public safety service providers to construct and operate a wireless public safety broadband network in the public safety broadband spectrum; (3) require the wireless public safety broadband network to be fully interoperable, provide for user roaming and priority access to public safety entities, be disaster survivable, have appropriate cyber security, and enable authorized users to develop local networks; (4) authorize the shared use, sublicensing, or leasing of the public safety broadband spectrum and network infrastructure by entities that are not defined as public safety services; (5) allow use of the public safety broadband spectrum by emergency response providers; and (6) establish rules enabling nationwide wireless public safety broadband network interoperability and roaming across any commercial network.
 
Requires each state to submit a plan to the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) and the FCC detailing the terms and aspects of the phased deployment for wireless public safety broadband network to be constructed in the public safety broadband spectrum.
 
Specifies organizations that shall be included in the Board of Directors of the Public Safety Broadband Licensee.
 
Establishes in the Treasury: (1) the Public Safety Interoperable Broadband Network Construction Fund, and (2) the Public Safety Interoperable Broadband Network Maintenance and Operation Fund.
 
Directs the Secretary of Commerce to: (1) establish a grant program to assist states, municipalities, and Indian tribes to establish a nationwide public safety interoperable broadband network in the 700 megahertz band, and (2) administer a program through which not more than 50% of maintenance and operational expenses associated with the public safety interoperable broadband network may be reimbursed from the Maintenance and Operation Fund. 
 
Directs: (1) the Assistant Secretary of Commerce to identify at least 15 megahertz of contiguous spectrum between 1675 and 1710 megahertz for reallocation, and (2) the FCC to auction various specified spectrum ranges.
 
Extends the FCC's authority to grant a license or permit under applicable competitive bidding provisions to September 30, 2020.
 
Directs each federal law enforcement agency, within 10 years, to move all noncommercial network communications to spectrum located in the 700 and 800 megahertz bands.
 
Prohibits the FCC, subject to exceptions, from renewing public safety licenses between 170 and 512 megahertz.
 
Directs the FCC to revise specified regulations relating to the 4940 to 4990 megahertz band to ensure governmental public safety services retain primary spectrum use authority and set forth conditions on secondary use by nongovernmental entities. Requires a recurring licensing fee for secondary spectrum use.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-05-19
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2011-05-19
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3182-3183)
action_date: 2011-05-19
text: Introduced in Senate