Federal Communications Commission	DA 20-360


Before the
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20554

In the Matter of

Rates for Interstate Inmate Calling Services
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WC Docket No. 12-375

ORDER

Adopted:  March 31, 2020	Released:  March 31, 2020

Reply Comment Date: April 21, 2020

By the Chief, Wireline Competition Bureau:

1. By this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) of the Federal Communications Commission grants a 15-day extension of time for filing reply comments on the Public Notice seeking to refresh the record in the above-captioned proceeding.  With this 15-day extension, reply comments are due on April 21, 2020.
2. On February 4, 2020, the Bureau released a Public Notice seeking to refresh the record in this proceeding in light of the D.C. Circuit’s decision in Global Tel*Link v. FCC. Wireline Competition Bureau Seeks to Refresh the Record on Ancillary Service Charges Related to Inmate Calling Services, WC Docket No. 12-375, Public Notice, DA 20-127 (WCB rel. Feb. 4, 2020) (Public Notice); Global Tel*Link v. FCC, 866 F.3d 397, 412, 415 (D.C. Cir. 2017), clarifying and amending 859 F.3d 39 (D.C. Cir. 2017).
  The Public Notice sought to refresh the record on ancillary service charges imposed in connection with inmate calling services. See Public Notice at 2.
  The filing deadlines were set at March 20, 2020 for initial comments and April 6, 2020 for reply comments. Wireline Competition Bureau Announces Comment Dates for Refreshing the Record on Ancillary Service Charges Related to Inmate Calling Services, Public Notice, DA 20-182 (WCB rel. Feb. 20, 2020).
  
3. On March 25, 2020, the Wright Petitioners, American Friends Service Committee, Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, Prison Policy Institute, Public Knowledge, United Church of Christ, OC Inc., and Worth Rises (collectively, Movants) filed a motion to extend the reply comment deadline by 15 days, to April 21, 2020. The Wright Petitioners, American Friends Service Committee, Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, Prison Policy Institute, Public Knowledge, United Church of Christ, OC Inc., and Worth Rises, Motion for Extension of Time to Reply, WC Docket No. 12-375 (filed Mar. 25, 2020) (Extension Request).
  Movants assert that because “many of [their] resources are currently deployed to address impacts of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) on incarcerated peoples,” an extension of time is warranted to enable Movants to respond adequately to the initial comments. Id. at 1-2.
 
4. As set forth in section 1.46 of the Commission’s rules, 47 CFR § 1.46.
 it is the policy of the Commission that extensions of time shall not be routinely granted.  The Public Notice provided interested parties 15 days to submit replies to the initial comments.  Nevertheless, we find that Movants have shown good cause for an extension of the reply comment deadline, and that the public interest will be served by extending that deadline.  Movants assert that their resources are occupied by addressing the impacts of the COVID-19 public safety crisis upon incarcerated peoples, and that a brief extension will neither prejudice nor harm any party to the proceeding. See Extension Request at 1-2.
  Under these circumstances, we agree that an extension of 15 days for the reply comment deadline is warranted.  
5. Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED, pursuant to sections 0.204, 0.291, and 1.46 of the Commission’s rules, 47 CFR §§ 0.204, 0.291, 1.46, that the Motion for Extension of Time filed by Movants on March 25, 2020 is GRANTED. 
6. IT IS ALSO ORDERED that the date for filing reply comments on the Public Notice is EXTENDED to April 21, 2020. 
7. To request materials in accessible formats (such as Braille, large print, electronic files, or audio format), send an e-mail to: fcc504@fcc.gov, or call the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530 (voice) or (202) 418-0432 (TTY). 
8. For further information concerning this proceeding, please contact Erik Raven-Hansen, Pricing Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, (202) 418-1532, Erik.Raven-Hansen@fcc.gov. 

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 


Kris Anne Monteith
Chief
Wireline Competition Bureau

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