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S 2319 112th Congress Senate Emergency Management Advisory bodies Disaster relief and insurance Emergency communications systems Government information and archives Natural disasters Terrorism

Integrated Public Alert and Warning System Modernization Act of 2012

Introduced: April 19, 2012 Introduced by: Collins, Susan M. Republican · Maine See on congress.gov
 Everywhere this bill has been 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Apr 19, 2012
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Apr 19, 2012
Introduced in Senate
 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Integrated Public Alert and Warning System Modernization Act of 2012 - Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to direct the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to modernize and implement the integrated U.S. public alert and warning system to ensure that under all conditions the President, federal agencies, and state, tribal, and local governments can alert and warn the civilian population in areas endangered by a natural disaster, war, act of terrorism, other man-made disaster, or other hazard to public safety.

Directs the Administrator to: (1) establish common alerting and warning protocols, standards, terminology, and operating procedures for the system; (2) include in such system the capability to adapt the distribution and content of communications on the basis of geographic location, risks, and multiple communication systems and technologies and to alert, warn, and provide equivalent information to individuals with disabilities or limited English proficiency; (3) ensure that specified training, tests, and exercises for such system are conducted; (4) conduct public education efforts and a general market awareness campaign about the system; and (5) ensure system coordination with the National Terrorism Advisory System.

Requires the system to: (1) incorporate multiple communications technologies; (2) be designed to adapt to and incorporate future technologies for communicating directly with the public, to provide alerts to the largest portion of the affected population feasible, and to improve the ability of remote areas to receive alerts; and (3) provide redundant alert mechanisms.

Authorizes the Administrator to conduct pilot programs for the purpose of demonstrating the feasibility of using a variety of methods for achieving system requirements.

Directs the Administrator to establish a subcommittee to the National Advisory Council to be known as the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System Subcommittee to develop and submit recommendations for the continuation and improvement of the system.

What's happening now April 19, 2012

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1