[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6505 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6505
To amend the National Telecommunications and Information Administration
Organization Act to provide for further deployment and coordination of
Next Generation 9-1-1, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 9, 2025
Mr. Hudson (for himself and Mr. Carter of Louisiana) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and
Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the National Telecommunications and Information Administration
Organization Act to provide for further deployment and coordination of
Next Generation 9-1-1, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Next Generation 9-1-1 Act''.
SEC. 2. FURTHER DEPLOYMENT AND COORDINATION OF NEXT GENERATION 9-1-1.
Part C of the National Telecommunications and Information
Administration Organization Act is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``SEC. 159. COORDINATION OF NEXT GENERATION 9-1-1 IMPLEMENTATION.
``(a) Duties of Assistant Secretary With Respect to Next Generation
9-1-1.--
``(1) In general.--The Assistant Secretary, after
consulting with the Administrator, shall--
``(A) take actions, in coordination with State
points of contact described under subsection
(c)(3)(A)(ii) as applicable, to improve coordination
and communication with respect to the implementation of
Next Generation 9-1-1;
``(B) develop, collect, and disseminate information
concerning the practices, procedures, and technology
used in the implementation of Next Generation 9-1-1;
``(C) advise and assist eligible entities in the
preparation of implementation plans required under
subsection (c)(3)(A)(iii);
``(D) provide technical assistance to eligible
entities provided a grant under subsection (c) in
support of efforts to explore efficiencies related to
Next Generation 9-1-1;
``(E) review and approve or disapprove applications
for grants under subsection (c); and
``(F) oversee the use of funds provided by such
grants in fulfilling such implementation plans.
``(2) Annual reports.--Not later than October 1, 2026, and
each year thereafter until funds made available to make grants
under subsection (c) are no longer available to be expended,
the Assistant Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on
the activities conducted by the Assistant Secretary under
paragraph (1) in the year preceding the submission of the
report.
``(3) Assistance.--The Assistant Secretary may seek the
assistance of the Administrator in carrying out the duties
described in subparagraphs (A) through (D) of paragraph (1) as
the Assistant Secretary determines necessary.
``(b) Additional Duties.--
``(1) Management plan.--
``(A) Development.--The Assistant Secretary, after
consulting with the Administrator, shall develop a
management plan for the grant program established under
this section, including by developing--
``(i) plans related to the organizational
structure of such program; and
``(ii) funding profiles for each fiscal
year of the duration of such program.
``(B) Submission to congress.--Not later than 180
days after the date of the enactment of this section,
the Assistant Secretary shall--
``(i) submit the management plan developed
under subparagraph (A) to--
``(I) the Committees on Energy and
Commerce and Appropriations of the
House of Representatives; and
``(II) the Committees on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation and
Appropriations of the Senate;
``(ii) publish the management plan on the
website of the National Telecommunications and
Information Administration; and
``(iii) provide the management plan to the
Administrator for the purpose of publishing the
management plan on the website of the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
``(2) Modification of plan.--
``(A) Modification.--The Assistant Secretary, after
consulting with the Administrator, may modify the
management plan developed under paragraph (1)(A).
``(B) Submission.--Not later than 90 days after the
plan is modified under subparagraph (A), the Assistant
Secretary shall--
``(i) submit the modified plan to--
``(I) the Committees on Energy and
Commerce and Appropriations of the
House of Representatives; and
``(II) the Committees on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation and
Appropriations of the Senate;
``(ii) publish the modified plan on the
website of the National Telecommunications and
Information Administration; and
``(iii) provide the modified plan to the
Administrator for the purpose of publishing the
modified plan on the website of the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
``(c) Next Generation 9-1-1 Implementation Grants.--
``(1) Grants.--The Assistant Secretary shall provide grants
to eligible entities for--
``(A) implementing Next Generation 9-1-1;
``(B) maintaining Next Generation 9-1-1;
``(C) training directly related to implementing,
maintaining, and operating Next Generation 9-1-1 if the
cost related to the training does not exceed--
``(i) 3 percent of the total grant award
for eligible entities that are not Tribes; and
``(ii) 5 percent of the total grant award
for eligible entities that are Tribes;
``(D) public outreach and education on how the
public can best use Next Generation 9-1-1 and the
capabilities and usefulness of Next Generation 9-1-1;
``(E) administrative costs associated with planning
of Next Generation 9-1-1, including any cost related to
planning for and preparing an application and related
materials as required by this subsection, if--
``(i) the cost is fully documented in
materials submitted to the Assistant Secretary;
and
``(ii) the cost is reasonable, necessary,
and does not exceed--
``(I) 1 percent of the total grant
award for eligible entities that are
not Tribes; and
``(II) 2 percent of the total grant
award for eligible entities that are
Tribes; and
``(F) costs associated with implementing
cybersecurity measures at emergency communications
centers or with respect to Next Generation 9-1-1.
``(2) Application.--In providing grants under paragraph
(1), the Assistant Secretary, after consulting with the
Administrator, shall require an eligible entity to submit to
the Assistant Secretary an application, at the time and in the
manner determined by the Assistant Secretary, and containing
the certification required by paragraph (3).
``(3) Coordination required.--Each eligible entity shall
include in the application required by paragraph (2) a
certification that--
``(A) in the case of an eligible entity that is a
State, the entity--
``(i) has coordinated the application with
the emergency communications centers located
within the jurisdiction of the entity;
``(ii) has designated a single officer or
governmental body to serve as the State point
of contact to coordinate the implementation of
Next Generation 9-1-1 for that State, except
that such designation need not vest such
officer or governmental body with direct legal
authority to implement Next Generation 9-1-1 or
to manage emergency communications operations;
and
``(iii) has developed and submitted a plan
for the coordination and implementation of Next
Generation 9-1-1 that--
``(I) ensures interoperability by
requiring the use of commonly accepted
standards;
``(II) ensures reliability;
``(III) enables emergency
communications centers to process,
analyze, and store multimedia, data,
and other information;
``(IV) incorporates cybersecurity
tools, including intrusion detection
and prevention measures;
``(V) includes strategies for
coordinating cybersecurity information
sharing between Federal, State, Tribal,
and local government partners;
``(VI) uses open and competitive
request for proposal processes,
including through shared government
procurement vehicles, for deployment of
Next Generation 9-1-1;
``(VII) documents how input was
received and accounted for from
relevant rural and urban emergency
communications centers, regional
authorities, local authorities, and
Tribal authorities;
``(VIII) includes a governance body
or bodies, either by creation of new,
or use of existing, body or bodies, for
the development and deployment of Next
Generation 9-1-1 that--
``(aa) ensures full notice
and opportunity for
participation by relevant
stakeholders; and
``(bb) consults and
coordinates with the State
point of contact required by
clause (ii);
``(IX) creates efficiencies related
to Next Generation 9-1-1 functions,
including cybersecurity and the
virtualization and sharing of
infrastructure, equipment, and
services; and
``(X) utilizes an effective,
competitive approach to establishing
authentication, credentialing, secure
connections, and access in deploying
Next Generation 9-1-1, including by--
``(aa) requiring
certificate authorities to be
capable of cross-certification
with other authorities;
``(bb) avoiding risk of a
single point of failure or
vulnerability; and
``(cc) adhering to Federal
agency best practices such as
those promulgated by the
National Institute of Standards
and Technology; and
``(B) in the case of an eligible entity that is a
Tribe, the Tribe has complied with clauses (i) and
(iii) of subparagraph (A).
``(4) Criteria.--
``(A) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the
date of the enactment of this section, the Assistant
Secretary, after consulting with the Administrator,
shall issue rules, after providing the public with
notice and an opportunity to comment, prescribing the
criteria for selecting eligible entities for grants
under this subsection.
``(B) Requirements.--The criteria shall--
``(i) include performance requirements and
a schedule for completion of any project to be
financed by a grant under this subsection; and
``(ii) specifically permit regional or
multi-State applications for funds.
``(C) Updates.--The Assistant Secretary shall
update such rules as necessary.
``(5) Grant certifications.--Each eligible entity shall
certify to the Assistant Secretary at the time of application
for a grant under this subsection, and each eligible entity
that receives such a grant shall certify to the Assistant
Secretary annually thereafter during any period of time the
funds from the grant are available to the eligible entity,
that--
``(A) beginning on the date that is 180 days before
the date on which the application is filed, no portion
of any 9-1-1 fee or charge imposed by the eligible
entity (or in the case that the eligible entity is not
a State or Tribe, any State or taxing jurisdiction
within which the eligible entity will carry out, or is
carrying out, activities using grant funds) are
obligated or expended for a purpose or function not
designated under the rules issued pursuant to section
6(f)(3) of the Wireless Communications and Public
Safety Act of 1999 (47 U.S.C. 615a-1(f)(3)) (as such
rules are in effect on the date on which the eligible
entity makes the certification) as acceptable;
``(B) any funds received by the eligible entity
will be used, consistent with paragraph (1), to support
the deployment of Next Generation 9-1-1 that ensures
reliability and interoperability, by requiring the use
of commonly accepted standards;
``(C) the eligible entity (or in the case that the
eligible entity is not a State or Tribe, any State or
taxing jurisdiction within which the eligible entity
will carry out or is carrying out activities using
grant funds) has established, or has committed to
establish not later than 3 years following the date on
which the grant funds are distributed to the eligible
entity--
``(i) a sustainable funding mechanism for
Next Generation 9-1-1; and
``(ii) effective cybersecurity resources
for Next Generation 9-1-1;
``(D) the eligible entity will promote
interoperability between emergency communications
centers deploying Next Generation 9-1-1 and emergency
response providers, including users of the nationwide
public safety broadband network;
``(E) the eligible entity has or will take steps to
coordinate with adjoining States and Tribes to
establish and maintain Next Generation 9-1-1; and
``(F) the eligible entity has developed a plan for
public outreach and education on how the public can
best use Next Generation 9-1-1 and on the capabilities
and usefulness of Next Generation 9-1-1.
``(6) Condition of grant.--Each eligible entity shall
agree, as a condition of receipt of a grant under this
subsection, that if any State or taxing jurisdiction within
which the eligible entity will carry out activities using grant
funds fails to comply with a certification required under
paragraph (5), during any period of time during which the funds
from the grant are available to the eligible entity, all of the
funds from such grant shall be returned to the Assistant
Secretary.
``(7) Penalty for providing false information.--Any
eligible entity that provides a certification under paragraph
(5) knowing that the information provided in the certification
was false shall--
``(A) not be eligible to receive the grant under