The National Emergency Number Association said the FCC should address misrouting of 911 calls to public safety answering points. “Occurrence of 9-1-1 ‘misroutes’ is significant enough to merit action,” NENA said. Most industry players with replies in docket 18-64 urged caution and suggested the FCC wait for an industry-supported solution to emerge. In March, the agency released a notice of inquiry on ways to ensure wireless 911 calls are routed directly to the appropriate call center (see 1803230023). Initial comments were posted in May (see 1805080040).
The Supreme Court’s Carpenter decision will hamper criminal investigations that benefit from location data -- such as serial killer, arson and drug cases -- said a high court litigator Friday. Center for Democracy and Technology Deputy Director-Freedom, Security and Technology Policy Michelle Richardson, another panelist at a Friday event, argued Carpenter provides a road map for contesting future privacy cases involving tech and rejuvenates the legislative push for more privacy protections.
Senate Democrats, children’s TV advocates and anti-media consolidation groups condemned the FCC’s draft kidvid NPRM. Two letters called the NPRM premature and too expansive, and said it should be re-issued as a notice of inquiry. “The Commission should not act in haste to revise rules that can negatively impact children in our country,” said the letter to all commissioners from Sens. Ed Markey, Mass.; Bill Nelson, Fla.; Catherine Cortez Masto, Nev.; Kirsten Gillibrand N.Y.; Richard Blumenthal Conn.; and Jack Reed R.I.
Consumer advocates and individuals pushed back against FCC relaxation of Telephone Consumer Protection Act enforcement they said would open up a bigger flood of unwanted robocalls. Corporate interests continued to urge limiting FCC TCPA reach, which they said sparked an onslaught of class-action lawsuits against companies doing legitimate business calling. At least three dozen substantive replies were filed, in docket 18-152, to initial comments (see 1806140043) on a public notice on TCPA issues after a partial court reversal in ACA International v. FCC (see 1805150014 and 1803160053).
A state privacy law is likely to have effects beyond California, said consumer privacy advocates and others Friday. Last week’s bipartisan enactment of AB-375 (see 1806280054) may encourage other states to write their own privacy laws, they said. Tech companies warned the law needs work and isn’t ready to be copied. The authors said changes are likely before the mandates take effect in January 2020.
The FCC is expected to move soon to create a broadcast incubator order, before a deadline, said broadcast and anti-media consolidation attorneys in interviews. The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals told the agency to file a report on the status by Aug. 6 when denying an emergency stay of a media ownership reconsideration order (see 1802070053). Though the 3rd Circuit asked only for a report, it could hurt the agency’s case to show up without a voted-on incubator order or strong indications one is coming soon, said numerous attorneys on both sides. The agency is unlikely to show up to court empty-handed, said Georgetown Institute for Public Representation Director Angela Campbell.
The Senate is likely to revisit timing of confirmation votes on FCC nominee Geoffrey Starks and Commissioner Brendan Carr’s second term during the coming July work period, after last-minute behind-the-scenes politicking led the chamber’s leaders Thursday to scrap approving the nominees under unanimous consent, Capitol Hill officials and communications sector lobbyists told us. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., had seen positive signs Thursday that the chamber would be able to clear Carr and Starks that day, in his bid to fast-track the confirmation process for the nominees (see 1806120047 and 1806280059).
The Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously advanced the Music Modernization Act (S-2823) to the floor (see 1805250036) Thursday, despite concerns from Sens. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., and Ron Wyden, D-Ore., about the Classics Act portion of the MMA. The House unanimously passed the MMA in April (see 1804250078).
The communications law impact of Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy's retirement remains largely a mystery (see 1806270070) as the Senate gears up for a confirmation battle. Not only is there a guessing game over who President Donald Trump will nominate as a replacement, but Kennedy's views aren't easy to pigeonhole, attorneys told us. He's "been all over the map," emailed TechFreedom President Berin Szoka.
Local governments cheered Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel for sharing San Jose's 5G agreements as a model code while the FCC weighs rules to lower perceived local barriers. But carriers and others said San Jose's pact with industry is no model. The commissioner Wednesday released model agreements for small-cell 5G deployment negotiated by San Jose with wireless companies (see 1806150033), amid local government complaints that model codes developed by the FCC Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee favor industry.