Skip to main content
S 2693 116th Congress Senate Science, Technology, Communications Administrative law and regulatory procedures Broadcasting, cable, digital technologies Congressional oversight Emergency communications systems Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Government information and archives Government studies and investigations Intergovernmental relations Internet and video services Internet, web applications, social media Public participation and lobbying State and local government operations Telephone and wireless communication

READI Act

Introduced: October 24, 2019 Introduced by: Schatz, Brian Democratic · Hawaii See on congress.gov
 Everywhere this bill has been 11 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Sep 29, 2020
Held at the desk.
Sep 29, 2020
Received in the House.
Sep 29, 2020
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Sep 24, 2020
Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR S5881-5882)
Sep 24, 2020
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.(text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR S5881-5882)
Sep 24, 2020
Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S5881-5882)
Jul 21, 2020
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 492.
Jul 21, 2020
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Wicker without amendment. With written report No. 116-240.
Nov 13, 2019
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
Oct 24, 2019
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Oct 24, 2019
Introduced in Senate
 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Reliable Emergency Alert Distribution Improvement Act of 2020 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).

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 September 29, 2020

Held at the desk.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1