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116th Congress > House > Vote 900
Clerk session vote number: 201
Sponsor: ENGEL, Eliot Lance (D-NY)
Description: Don’t Break Up the T-Band Act of 2020
Bill summary:
Don't Break Up the T-Band Act of 2020
This bill repeals a provision requiring the reallocation of spectrum currently used by public safety entities and otherwise addresses 9–1–1 fees and charges collected for the purpose of supporting 9–1–1 services.
Specifically, the bill repeals the requirement for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to reallocate and auction the 470-512 MHz band (referred to as the T-Band spectrum). The T-Band spectrum is a frequency range currently utilized by public safety entities in certain urban areas.
The bill also requires the FCC to issue rules designating acceptable purposes and functions for the obligation or expenditure of 9–1–1 fees or charges. Such purposes and functions shall be limited to the support and implementation of 9–1–1 services and the operational expenses of public safety answering points (i.e., the points where emergency calls are routed), but a state or taxing jurisdiction may petition the FCC for a determination that other purposes or functions should be treated as acceptable purposes or functions.
In addition, the bill establishes the Ending 9–1–1 Fee Diversion Now Strike Force, to which the FCC must submit any evidence it obtains that a state or taxing jurisdiction is diverting 9–1–1 fees or charges. The strike force must (1) study how the federal government can end such diversion through a determination of the effectiveness of laws and other constraints, (2) consider whether criminal penalties should be implemented to prevent further diversion, and (3) determine the impacts of such diversion.
Bill titles: To repeal the section of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 that requires the Federal Communications Commission to reallocate and auction the T-Band spectrum.; To repeal the requirement to reallocate and auction the T-Band spectrum, to amend the Wireless Communications and Public Safety Act of 1999 to clarify acceptable 9-1-1 obligations or expenditures, and for other purposes.
Links for more info on the vote: congress.gov
