Wireless Microphone Users Interference Protection Act of 2013

Bill: 113-hr-2911
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Rush, Bobby L. [D-IL-1]
Introduced: 2013-08-01
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures

Broadcasting, cable, digital technologies

Educational facilities and institutions

Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

Food industry and services

Government information and archives

Licensing and registrations

Museums, exhibitions, cultural centers

Outdoor recreation

Religion

Sound recording

Sports and recreation facilities

Telephone and wireless communication
Latest action: action_date: 2013-08-02
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.

Summaries:
action_date: 2013-08-01
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p>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:</p> <ul> <li>amusement parks,</li> <li> arenas,</li> <li> convention centers,</li> <li>educational facilities,</li> <li>houses of worship,</li> <li>lodging facilities,</li> <li>museums,</li> <li>outdoor venues,</li> <li>recording studios, and </li> <li>theaters. </li> </ul> <p>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.</p> <p>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.)</p> <p>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.</p>

tv_txt: I 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2911 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES August 1, 2013 Mr. Rush (for himself and Mr. Cohen ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce A BILL 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 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, to the owners of, and operators of events and performances at, the following sites: (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 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, to include the use of wireless microphones in rehearsals and live or recorded events and performances by the persons and entities made eligible for licenses pursuant to section 2 of this Act. 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 means a commercially operated park equipped with various recreational devices, entertainment, and typically booths for games and the sale of food and drink. (2) Arena The term arena means any building or structure primarily used for an athletic contest, sporting event, or musical performance, such as a stadium or racetrack. (3) Convention center The term convention center means any civic building or group of buildings designed for events, such as conventions, industrial shows, and exhibitions, and which often includes an auditorium, a conference or meeting room, hotel accommodations, a restaurant, or other facilities. (4) Educational facility The term educational facility means any building, place, or institution where instruction to students is provided, including any daycare center, nursery school, public or private school, college or university, career or technical education school, or corporate training center. (5) House of worship The term house of worship means any building, place, or institution devoted to religious worship, including a church, synagogue, temple, mosque, or chapel. (6) Lodging facility The term lodging facility means any individual hotel, motel, or inn that makes accommodation available on a temporary basis for a charge. (7) Museum The term museum means a building, place, or institution devoted to the procurement, care, study, and display of works of art, scientific specimens, and other objects of lasting interest or value. (8) Outdoor venue The term outdoor venue means any outdoor place or area where a fair, concert, sporting event, circus, festival, exhibition, or civic ceremony or presentation is held, such as a fairground, golf course, or pavilion. Such term includes a place or area that is partially enclosed. (9) Recording studio The term recording studio means any facility used primarily for the commercial production or recording of live or prerecorded music, television, motion picture, or other kind of news, sports, entertainment, educational, or religious programming. (10) Restaurant The term restaurant means an establishment where meals may be purchased and consumed. (11) Theater The term theater means any place, building, enclosure, or structure with a seating capacity that is used for a dramatic performance, stage entertainment, musical performance, or motion picture show. (12) Wireless microphone The term wireless microphone means a low power auxiliary station, as defined in subpart H of part 74 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, as of the date of enactment of this Act.