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Legislative
Update
This
is an extremely important issue. We are under the gun to get this
legislation
passed by congress before the elections. We can put pressure on
them
now based on the November elections looming. If they don't act
before the
elections,
then they have another two years to just give us lip service on this
critical
issue. Please take the time to make the calls to the congressmen and
senators
as mentioned in Yucel's message. Failure to secure this spectrum will
cripple
our efforts to get nationwide interoperability for a very long time to
come.
Best
Regards,
Gregg
Riddle
APCO,
Intl. 1st Vice President
APCO
ACTION ALERT - August 20th, 2010
The
leaders of police, fire and emergency medical service (EMS) agencies across
the
country have joined together to form the Public Safety Alliance
(PSA) to
urge
Congress to pass legislation that would allocate the 700-MHz D-Block
spectrum
to public safety and provide sufficient funding to build a nationwide
broadband
network.
The
PSA is a partnership with the nation's leading public safety associations,
which
includes the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO)
International,
the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the
International
Association of Fire Chiefs, the National Sheriffs' Association,
the
Major Cities Chiefs Association, the Major County Sheriffs'
Association, the
Metropolitan
Fire Chiefs Association, the National Emergency Management
Association
and the National Association of EMS Officials. The partnership is
operated
as a program of APCO International.
The
allocation of the D-Block spectrum and funding to public safety is critical
to
building a nationwide wireless broadband network that provides the capacity
needed
to transmit mission critical real-time high-resolution video, voice and
data.
Unless Congress passes legislation this year to allocate the D-Block
spectrum
to public safety, the FCC will auction the spectrum early next year for
commercial
services.
APCO
members should...
1.
CALL, EMAIL, and WRITE your U.S. Senators today to strongly urge them
to
cosponsor S. 3756, the Public Safety Spectrum and Wireless
Innovation Act of
2010,
introduced by Senator John (Jay) Rockefeller, IV (D - WV), Chairman
of the
Senate
Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee. When you call your
Senators'
offices, be sure to ask to speak with the legislative aide that works
on
Homeland Security, Justice/Public Safety and/or telecommunications issues.
You
can also contact the local offices of your U.S. Senators and ask to speak
with
their scheduler to request a meeting with the Senators while they
are back
in
the State through the month of August.
2.
CALL, EMAIL, and WRITE your U.S. House Representative today to strongly
urge
them to cosponsor H.R. 5081 - Broadband for First Responders Act of 2010.
WHAT
DOES THE LEGISLATION DO FOR PUBLIC SAFETY?
1.
S. 3756 - The Public Safety Spectrum and Wireless Innovation Act would
allocate
the D Block to public safety; direct the Federal Communications
Commission
(FCC) to develop technical and operational standards to ensure
nationwide
interoperability and build-out (including in rural areas); direct the
FCC
to establish standards that allow public safety officials, when not using
the
network, to lease capacity on a secondary, but preemptive basis to
non-public
safety entities, including other governmental users and commercial
users;
and provide the FCC with incentive auction authority, which allows
existing
spectrum licensees to voluntarily relinquish their airwaves in exchange
for
a portion of the proceeds of the commercial auction of their
spectrum. The
funds
from these incentive auctions, in conjunction with funds from the auction
of
other specified spectrum bands, and funds earned from leasing the public
safety
network on a secondary basis, will be used to fund the construction and
maintenance
of the nationwide interoperable wireless broadband public safety
network.
2.
H.R. 5081 - Broadband for First Responders Act of 2010 would
allocate 10
MHz
of spectrum, known as the D Block, to public safety and direct the
FCC to
develop
technical and operational standards to ensure nationwide
interoperability.
DOWNLOAD
from Apco Website:
•
CALL TO ACTION
•
SAMPLE LETTER TO U.S. SENATE
•
SAMPLE LETTER TO U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE
•
TALKING POINTS
•
CONGRESSIONAL BRIEFING PACKET
For
more information visit: www.psafirst.org
-------------------------------------------
Yucel
Ors
Director,
Legislative Affairs
APCO
International
Alexandria,
VA
(512)
312-4400 (7005)
Illinois
APCO Contacts Senators Durbin and Burris Seeking Support For An
Increased Public Safety D-Block Allocation
Click
Here For Our Letter
TO:
INENA AND ILAPCO MEMBERSHIP
FROM:
LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE
SUBJECT:
SB120 (PREPAID WIRELESS)
DATE:
April 23, 2010
During
the “9-1-1 Goes to Springfield” event, members of
the
Legislative Committee had an opportunity to meet with
representatives
of the ITA, Tracfone and U.S. Cellular on Senate Bill
120.
This Bill is currently on the Senate Floor and would close
loopholes
in the current Wireless Emergency Telephone Safety Act (WETSA)
which
would result in the collection of surcharge from prepaid wireless
users,
an estimated 20% share of today’s Wireless market. Industry
estimates
are that this could result in revenues of approximately
$685,000
per month for the Illinois 9-1-1 community. Even the I.C.C.
estimates
that only a very small percentage of prepaid surcharge is
being
collected today.
Highlights
of this bill include:1.5% surcharge on each
prepaid
transaction (purchase and recharging). Based on a $50.00
purchase
this would be $.75.
No
carrier split.
Approximately
$.71 returned to public safety.
Collection
at point of sale including internet transactions.
Distribution
based on rolling monthly percentage of current wireless
surcharge
distribution. This will result in all systems sharing this
revenue.
The
legislative committee believes SB120 is in the best interest of
9-1-1
and public safety and recommends support of this bill. We will
notify
you when we need you to contact your local legislators.
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