DA 21-591 Released: May 21, 2021 FCC ANNOUNCES THE MEMBERSHIP AND FIRST MEETING OF THE ENDING 9-1-1 FEE DIVERSION NOW STRIKE FORCE This Public Notice serves as notice that, consistent with the Federal Advisory Committee Act Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. 2 (FACA). and pursuant to the Don’t Break Up the T-Band Act of 2020, set forth in Division FF, Title IX, Section 902 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Section 902), Pub. L. No. 116-260. Federal Communications Commission Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has appointed members to serve on the Ending 9-1-1 Fee Diversion Now Strike Force (911 Strike Force). The 911 Strike Force will hold its first meeting on Thursday, June 3, 2021, beginning at 10 a.m. (EDT). The Office of the Federal Register published Notice of this meeting on May 20, 2021. See 86 Fed. Reg. 27432 (May 20, 2021). The meeting will take place via video conference and will be publicly available via the Internet at http://www.fcc.gov/live. The public may also follow summaries of the meeting on Twitter, @fcc, or via the Commission’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/fcc. During the meeting, the public may submit questions to livequestions@fcc.gov. A full list of 911 Strike Force members is attached to this Public Notice. In addition, Acting Chairwoman Rosenworcel designated Kelli Merriweather, Executive Director of the Texas Commission on State Emergency Communications, representing the National Association of State 911 Administrators, to serve as Chair of the 911 Strike Force, and Steven C. Sharpe, EdD, Genesee County (NY) Director of Emergency Communications, representing the New York State 911 Coordinators Association, to serve as Vice-Chair. Pursuant to Section 902(d)(3), the 911 Strike Force shall study how the federal government can most expeditiously end diversion of 911 fees and charges by states and taxing jurisdictions (911 fee diversion). In carrying out this study, the 911 Strike Force shall: (i) determine the effectiveness of any federal laws, including regulations, policies, and practices, or budgetary or jurisdictional constraints regarding how the federal government can most expeditiously end 911 fee diversion; (ii) consider whether criminal penalties would further prevent 911 fee diversion; and (iii) determine the impacts of 911 fee diversion. As required by Section 902(d)(3)(D), it is anticipated that not later than September 23, 2021 (270 days after Section 902 was signed into law), the 911 Strike Force shall publish on the website of the Commission and submit to the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report on the findings of the study mandated by Section 902. As required by Section 902 of the Act, the 911 Strike Force is composed of representatives of federal departments and agencies as the Commission considers appropriate, in addition to (1) state attorneys general; (2) states or taxing jurisdictions found not to be engaging in diversion of 911 fees or charges; (3) states or taxing jurisdictions trying to stop the diversion of 911 fees or charges; (4) state 911 administrators; (5) public safety organizations; (6) groups representing the public and consumers; and (7) groups representing public safety answering point professionals. Members were selected from a diverse mix of organizations to balance the expertise and viewpoints that are necessary to effectively address the issues to be considered by the 911 Strike Force. For the agenda of its first meeting, the 911 Strike Force will introduce its members, working groups and leadership, review Section 902’s mandates and mission, review the FACA’s procedural requirements, and receive briefings on relevant FCC programs and policies. The agenda may be modified at the discretion of the 911 Strike Force Chair and its Designated Federal Officer. To ensure accessibility for the meeting, open captioning will be provided in the live stream. Other reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities can be made available upon request. To request an accommodation, or for materials in accessible formats for persons with disabilities (e.g., Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), send an email to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530 (voice). Such requests should include a detailed description of the accommodations needed. In addition, requesters should include their contact information in case Commission staff need to reach them to fulfill the request. Please allow at least five days’ advance notice; last-minute requests will be accepted but may not be possible to accommodate. Pursuant to the FACA, the Commission is responsible for oversight of the 911 Strike Force and its working groups. See 5 U.S.C. App. 2. As a result, FCC staff or Commissioners may participate in or attend meetings or other activities held by both the 911 Strike Force and its working groups. To facilitate these interactions, and in accordance with section 1.1200(a) of the Commission’s rules, 47 CFR § 1.1200(a), presentations to the 911 Strike Force, its working groups, or 911 Strike Force-sponsored discussions (e.g., roundtables or workshops), or to FCC staff or Commissioners incidental to and in connection with such 911 Strike Force meetings or discussions, will be treated as exempt presentations for ex parte purposes. This exemption covers presentations from 911 Strike Force members to FCC staff and Commissioners in other settings only to the extent that the 911 Strike Force members are presenting the views of the 911 Strike Force or its working groups, as opposed to an individual member’s own views or that of a member’s organization. We find that this modification of the ex parte rules is in the public interest because it will allow the 911 Strike Force to develop and shape its advice and recommendations to the Commission more efficiently and effectively. We recognize that some issues addressed by the 911 Strike Force may also be the subject of other pending FCC proceedings. The Commission will not rely in those other proceedings on any information submitted to the 911 Strike Force, or to any of its working groups or sponsored roundtables, or information conveyed by 911 Strike Force members (including members of any 911 Strike Force working groups) to FCC staff or Commissioners, unless that information is first placed in the record of the relevant proceeding. More information about the 911 Strike Force is available www.fcc.gov/911strikeforce. For more information, please contact John A. Evanoff, Designated Federal Officer of the 911 Strike Force, at (202) 418-0848; or Jill Coogan, Deputy Designated Federal Officer, at (202) 418-1499; or both via email at 911StrikeForce@fcc.gov. --FCC-- 911 STRIKE FORCE MEMBERSHIP Chair: · Kelli Merriweather, Executive Director of the Texas Commission on State Emergency Communications (CSEC), representing the National Association of State 911 Administrators (NASNA) as current Vice President and incoming President Vice-Chair: · Steven C. Sharpe, EdD, Genesee County (NY) Director of Emergency Communications, representing the New York State 911 Coordinators Association Representatives of federal departments and agencies: · Laurie Flaherty, Coordinator of the National 911 Program (911.gov), National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Office of Emergency Medical Services, U.S. Department of Transportation State attorneys general: · Richard Bradford, Special Deputy Attorney General, Office of the Attorney General, North Carolina Department of Justice States or taxing jurisdictions found not to be engaging in diversion of 911 fees or charges: · Terry Clark, Chief of Police of Prairie Band Potawatomi Tribal Police, Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, Kansas · Daryl Branson, State 911 Program Manager, Colorado Public Utilities Commission States or taxing jurisdictions trying to stop the diversion of 911 fees or charges: · Lance Terry, Oklahoma 911 Coordinator, Oklahoma 911 Management Authority · Dana Wahlberg, Director of the Department of Public Safety Emergency Communications Networks, Minnesota Department of Public Safety · Budge Currier, 911 Branch Manager for the California Office of Emergency Services State 911 administrators: · Cindy Barbera-Brelle, Statewide 911 Administrator, Illinois State Police · Kelli Merriweather, Executive Director of the Texas Commission on State Emergency Communications (CSEC), representing the National Association of State 911 Administrators (NASNA) as current Vice President and incoming President Public safety organizations: · Nicole Pickrell, Deputy Chief for Communications and Support Services of Loudoun County (Virginia) Department of Fire and Rescue, representing the International Association of Fire Chiefs · Mel Maier, Captain, Oakland County (MI) Sheriff’s Office (OCSO), representing the Major County Sheriffs of America · Shaun Golden, Sheriff, Monmouth County (NJ) Sheriff’s Office Groups representing the public and consumers: · Thaddeus Johnson, Assistant People’s Counsel at the Washington, DC Office of the People’s Counsel (DC-OPC), representing the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates Groups representing public safety answering point professionals · April Heinze, 911 and PSAP Operations Director, the National Emergency Number Association · Karima Holmes, Senior Director, ShotSpotter, Inc., representing 911der Women. Inc. · Mark Reddish, Senior Counsel and Manager of Government Relations, Association of Public Safety Communications Officials-International · Steven C. Sharpe, EdD, Genesee County (NY) Director of Emergency Communications, representing the New York State 911 Coordinators Association John A. Evanoff, Designated Federal Officer Jill Coogan, Deputy Designated Federal Officer 2