Federal Communications Commission "FCC/DA XX-XXX" DA 20-1101 Released: September 17, 2020 OFFICE OF GENERAL COUNSEL ANNOUNCES REPLY COMMENT PERIOD ON PROPOSAL TO UPDATE COMMISSION’S EX PARTE RULES GC Docket No. 20-221 Reply Comments Due: October 19, 2020 With this Public Notice, the Office of General Counsel announces the due date for reply comments on proposals to update the Commission’s ex parte rules. Updating of the Commission’s Ex Parte Rules, GC Docket No. 20-221, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 35 FCC Rcd 6947 (2020). On September 4, 2020, the Commission released a Public Notice announcing that initial comments in this proceeding are due on October 2. See Office of General Counsel Announces Comment Period on Proposal to Update Commission’s Ex Parte Rules, GC Docket No. 20-221, Public Notice, DA 20-1041 (OGC Sept. 4, 2020). In its NPRM, the Commission began a new proceeding to consider several updates to the Commission's ex parte rules. First, the Commission seeks comment on a proposal to exempt from its ex parte rules, in certain proceedings, government-to-government consultations between the Commission and federally recognized Tribal Nations. Second, the Commission seeks comment on a proposal to extend the exemption to its ex parte rules for communications with certain program administrators, such as the Universal Service Administrative Company, to include the Toll-Free Numbering Administrator and the Reassigned Numbers Database Administrator, and to clarify the conditions under which this exemption applies. Third, the Commission seeks comment on a proposal to require that all written ex parte presentations and written summaries of oral ex parte presentations (other than presentations that are permitted during the Sunshine period) be submitted before the Sunshine period begins and to require that replies to these ex parte presentations be filed within the first day of the Sunshine period. We seek comment on these proposals. *** Filing Requirements. Parties may file comments, identified by GC Docket No. 20-221, by any of the following methods: § Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically using the Internet by accessing the ECFS: http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/. § Paper Filers: Parties who choose to file by paper must file an original and one copy of each filing. Filings can be sent by commercial courier or by the U.S. Postal Service. All filings must be addressed to the Commission’s Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission. § Commercial deliveries (other than U.S. Postal Service Express Mail and Priority Mail) must be sent to 9050 Junction Drive, Annapolis Junction, MD 20701. § U.S. Postal Service First-Class, Express, and Priority mail must be addressed to 445 12th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20554. § Effective March 19, 2020, and until further notice, the Commission no longer accepts any hand or messenger delivered filings. This is a temporary measure taken to help protect the health and safety of individuals, and to mitigate the transmission of COVID-19. See FCC Announces Closure of FCC Headquarters Open Window and Change in Hand-Delivery Policy, Public Notice, DA 20-304 (March 19, 2020). https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-closes-headquarters-open-window-and-changes-hand-delivery-policy. § During the time the Commission’s building is closed to the general public and until further notice, if more than one docket or rulemaking number appears in the caption of a proceeding, paper filers need not submit two additional copies for each additional docket or rulemaking number; an original and one copy are sufficient. People with Disabilities.—To request materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities (braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), send an e-mail to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice), 202-418-0432 (TTY). Additional Information. For further information regarding this Public Notice, please contact Max Staloff, Office of General Counsel, at Max.Staloff@fcc.gov or 202-418-1764. 2