Public Safety Communications Act
Summary
What This Bill Does
The Public Safety Communications Act creates a dedicated Office of Public Safety Communications within the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. The office is led by an Associate Administrator appointed as a career reserved Senior Executive Service position. Its duties include administering Next Generation 911 grant programs, analyzing public safety communications needs, advising NTIA leadership on policy positions before the Federal Communications Commission, Congress, and executive-branch bodies, and measuring domestic impacts on emergency communications. The bill gives 911 modernization and public-safety spectrum policy a permanent internal home at NTIA.
Who Benefits and How
911 authorities benefit from a dedicated NTIA office responsible for administering Next Generation 911 grants. Public safety communications agencies benefit from federal analysis and advocacy focused on emergency communications systems. First responders benefit if NG911 grants and policy advice improve call routing, data sharing, and network reliability. Emergency communications vendors benefit from clearer federal grant administration and modernization priorities.
Who Bears the Burden and How
NTIA must stand up and staff a new office with a career Associate Administrator. Commerce Department administrators must integrate the office into budget, personnel, and policy-review processes. FCC-facing policy staff must coordinate more formal NTIA public-safety communications positions. Federal taxpayers bear the cost of a permanent office and grant-administration capacity.
Key Provisions
- Establishes the NTIA Office of Public Safety Communications.
- Creates a career Senior Executive Service Associate Administrator role.
- Directs the office to administer Next Generation 911 grants and analyze public safety communications.
- Requires NTIA policy advice on domestic emergency-communications impacts before federal decision makers.
Evidence Chain:
This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
At a Glance
What This Bill Does
Establishes an NTIA Office of Public Safety Communications led by a career Senior Executive Service official to administer NG911 grants, analyze public safety communications, and advise federal policy makers.
Key Policy Areas
Telecommunications, Public Safety, Emergency Response
Primary Purpose
Establishes an NTIA Office of Public Safety Communications led by a career Senior Executive Service official to administer NG911 grants, analyze public safety communications, and advise federal policy makers.
Policy Domains
Resolution provisions
Identified Gains
- 911 authorities
- Public safety communications agencies
- First responders
- Emergency communications vendors
Identified Costs
- NTIA
- Commerce administrators
- FCC-facing policy staff
- Federal taxpayers
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
In CommitteeForwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.
Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Mrs. Cammack introduced the following bill; which was referred to …
Referred to the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Introduced in House
Stakeholder Effects
cui bono?How this legislation distributes effects. Mention counts reflect frequency, not effect magnitude.
911 authorities, Public safety communications agencies
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology