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READI Act

Introduced: October 24, 2019 See on congress.gov

Everywhere this bill has been 5 steps

Introduced

In committee

Reported out

Passed House

Passed Senate

To President

Became law

Feb 27, 2020

Subcommittee Hearings Held.

Nov 14, 2019

Referred to the Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery.

Oct 25, 2019

Referred to the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.

Oct 24, 2019

Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, and Homeland Security, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Oct 24, 2019

Introduced in House

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Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Reliable Emergency Alert Distribution Improvement Act of 2019 or READI Act

This bill modifies how citizens receive emergency alerts through wireless and broadcast emergency alert systems.

Specifically, the bill includes emergency alerts from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as a type of alert that mobile subscribers may not block from their devices (currently, only alerts from the President may not be blocked). FEMA must develop and issue guidance for how state, tribal, and local governments can participate in the integrated public alert and warning system.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) must adopt regulations that encourage states to establish a State Emergency Communications Commission (SECC) and require each SECC to meet at least annually to review and update its Emergency Alert System Plan. The FCC must approve or disapprove the updated plan.

The FCC shall also (1) establish a system to receive from FEMA or state, tribal, or local governments reports of false alerts under the Emergency Alert System (EAS) or the Wireless EAS to record such false alerts and examine their causes; (2) modify the EAS to provide for repeating messages while an alert remains pending; and (3) examine the feasibility of updating the EAS to enable or improve alerts provided through the internet, including through audio and video streaming services.

What's happening now February 27, 2020

Subcommittee Hearings Held.

Related & companion bills 3