Small Business Broadband Deployment Act of 2017

Bill: 115-s-228
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Daines, Steve [R-MT]
Introduced: 2017-01-24
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures

Consumer affairs

Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

Internet and video services

Internet, web applications, social media

Small business

Telecommunication rates and fees
Latest action: action_date: 2017-01-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (Sponsor introductory remarks: CR S451; text of measure as introduced: CR S451)

Summaries:
action_date: 2017-01-24
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>Small Business Broadband Deployment Act 2017</b></p> <p>This bill exempts for five years any small business broadband Internet access service provider with no more than 250,000 subscribers from the enhancements to the transparency rule of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) under which any person engaged in the provision of broadband Internet access service must disclose publicly accurate information regarding the network management practices, performance, and commercial terms of its broadband Internet access services sufficient for:</p> <ul> <li>consumers to make informed choices regarding their use; and</li> <li>content, application, service, and device providers to develop, market, and maintain Internet offerings.</li> </ul> <p>The FCC shall report to specified congressional committees, within 180 days after enactment of this bill, its recommendations (together with supporting data) on whether:</p> <ul> <li>this exception should be made permanent, and</li> <li>the definition of &quot;small business&quot; for these purposes should be modified.</li></ul>

tv_txt: II 115th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 228 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES January 24, 2017 Mr. Daines (for himself and Mr. Manchin ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation A BILL To ensure that small business providers of broadband Internet access service can devote resources to broadband deployment rather than compliance with cumbersome regulatory requirements, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Small Business Broadband Deployment Act of 2017 . 2. Small business exemption (a) Definitions In this section— (1) the term appropriate congressional committees means— (A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate; and (B) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives; (2) the term broadband Internet access service has the meaning given the term in section 8.2 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations; (3) the term Commission means the Federal Communications Commission; and (4) the term small business means any provider of broadband Internet access service that has not more than 250,000 subscribers. (b) Exception for small businesses The enhancements to the transparency rule of the Commission under section 8.3 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, as described in paragraphs 162 through 184 of the Report and Order on Remand, Declaratory Ruling, and Order of the Commission with regard to protecting and promoting the open Internet (adopted by the Commission on February 26, 2015) (FCC 15–24), shall not apply to any small business. (c) Sunset Subsection (b) shall not have any force or effect after the date that is 5 years after the date of enactment of this Act. (d) Report by FCC Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report that contains the recommendations of the Commission, and data supporting those recommendations, regarding whether— (1) the exception provided under subsection (b) should be made permanent; and (2) the definition of the term small business for the purposes of the exception provided under subsection (b) should be modified from the definition in subsection (a)(4).