PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications Commission 445 12th St., S.W. Washington, D.C. 20554 News Media Information 202 / 418-0500 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov TTY: 1-888-835-5322 DA 16-1461 Released December 29, 2016 CHAIRMAN WHEELER ANNOUNCES INTERGOVERNMENTAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS Chairman Tom Wheeler today announced the members of the FCC’s Intergovernmental Advisory Committee (IAC) for 2017-2019. The IAC provides guidance, expertise, and recommendations to the Commission on a range of telecommunication issues for which local, state, and Tribal governments explicitly or inherently share responsibility or administration with the Commission. BACKGROUND AND MISSION On September 29, 2016, the Commission announced the reauthorization of the IAC and sought nominations for membership.1 The term of the previous IAC expired on July 14, 2016. The reauthorized IAC will operate for two years, with an option for the Commission to reauthorize it at the end of the two- year period.2 The term will commence with the new IAC’s first meeting at the Commission’s headquarters in Washington, DC. The meeting date will be announced in a subsequent public notice.3 The 2017-2019 IAC will focus on the role of state, local and Tribal governments in facilitating broadband deployment and adoption, initiatives related to wireless infrastructure deployment, Universal Service programs, consumer complaints processes, and public safety issues. MEMBERSHIP The IAC is comprised of fifteen representatives of state, local and Tribal governments with expertise in telecommunications policy. The Commission’s rules specify IAC membership in the following categories: four elected municipal officials (city mayors and city council members); two elected county officials (county commissioners or council members); one elected or appointed local government attorney; one elected state executive (governor or lieutenant governor); three elected state 1 See FCC Announces Reauthorization of Its Intergovernmental Advisory Committee and Solicits Nominations for Membership on the Committee, Public Notice, 31 FCC Rcd 10883 (2016). https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-16-1106A1.pdf 2 See 47 C.F.R. § 0.701(a) 3 The IAC is authorized under Commission rules to operate for a two-year period following its first scheduled meeting. Id. 2legislators; one elected or appointed public utilities or public service commissioner; and three elected or appointed Tribal representatives.4 While the Commission’s rules authorize a fifteen-member IAC, the Chairman today announced fourteen members and one vacancy. The Commission continues to seek qualified applicants for one elected or appointed Tribal Official to serve as a member of the IAC. As stated in Section 0.701 (b) of the Commission’s rules, elected or appointed officials may designate a government employee to represent them on the IAC and to attend meetings on their behalf, provided that they submit a designation letter that is accepted by the Chairman of the Commission. However, to ensure compliance with the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (UMRA), such designation letters must be from an appropriate “elected officer of state, local and Tribal governments.”5 MEMBERS OF THE IAC State Executive Representative (1) Dannel P. Malloy, Governor, Connecticut · Designee: Elin Swanson Katz, Consumer Counsel, Connecticut Municipality Representatives (4) Bob Fifer, Mayor Pro Tempore, Arvada, Colorado Andy Huckaba, City Councilman, Lenexa, Kansas Catherine E. Pugh, Mayor, Baltimore, Maryland Kasim Reed, Mayor, Atlanta, Georgia · Designees: Jim Beard, Chief Financial Officer, City of Atlanta; Cathy Hampton, City Attorney, City of Atlanta County Representatives (2) Edwin M. Lee, Mayor, City and County of San Francisco, California · Designee: Kenneth A. Bukowski, Deputy City Administrator, Interim Chief Information Officer, San Francisco Hans Riemer, Councilmember, Montgomery County, Maryland City Attorney Representative (1) Kenneth S. Fellman, County Attorney, Yuma, Colorado 4 See 47 C.F.R. § 0.701 (b). 5 See 47 C.F.R. § 0.701 (b). 3State Legislative Representatives (3) Deb Peters, South Dakota State Senator Angelo J. Puppolo, Massachusetts State Representative Jason Saine, State Representative at North Carolina General Assembly State Public Utility Commission Representative (1) Ronald Brisé, Commissioner, Florida Public Service Commission Tribal Representatives (3) Clifford Agee, Chickasaw Nation, Ada, Oklahoma James R. Norton, Yurok Tribe, Klamath, California Vacancy APPLICATIONS AND SELECTION Nominees for the open position for Tribal Official must submit their applications: (1) online via email; and/or (2) hardcopy via mail. Applications submitted via email must be sent to iac@fcc.gov. Hardcopy applications submitted via mail must be addressed to: Attn: Carmen Scanlon, Attorney Advisor Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau Federal Communications Commission 445 12th Street, SW Washington, DC 20554 The application does not require a particular format but must include the following information: · Resume (including applicant’s current position); · Contact information (both email and mailing addresses, as well as telephone numbers); · A brief description of the applicant’s area of expertise and qualifications to serve on the IAC, including the applicant’s experience with telecommunications issues affecting local, state, or Tribal governments. Candidates are encouraged to provide links to any articles they have authored on relevant topics and/or public appearances available on the web for viewing. EXEMPTION FROM THE FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT Pursuant to the “intergovernmental communication” exemption of UMRA,6 the IAC is not subject to, and is not required to follow, the procedures set forth in the Federal Advisory Committee Act 6 See 2 U.S.C. § 1534 (b). 4(FACA), 5 U.S.C. App 2 (1988).”7 Because the input that Congress sought to facilitate through the intergovernmental exemption is institutional in nature, the exemption covers federal communications with elected officials (or designated employees) involved in the governmental process at the state, local and Tribal levels. We clarify here that to be appointed to the IAC, under Commission rules, a member such as an “elected or appointed local government attorney” must be on the staff of the municipal or county government represented and be part of the governmental process.8 Our compliance with the requirements of section 204(b) of UMRA ensures that the IAC can continue to operate with the informality and flexibility that have proven so effective in the past and that inhere in its FACA-exempt status. ACCESSIBLE FORMATS To request materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), please send an e-mail to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, (202) 418-0530 (voice) or (202) 418-0432 (TTY). FURTHER INFORMATION For further information, please contact: Carmen Scanlon, Attorney Advisory, Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, (202) 418-0544, carmen.scanlon@fcc.gov. 7 See 47 C.F.R. § 0.701 (a) 8 See 47 C.F.R. § 0.701 (b).