Miami-Dade Legislative Item
File Number: 111713
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File Number: 111713 File Type: Resolution Status: Adopted
Version: 0 Reference: R-716-11 Control: Board of County Commissioners
File Name: URGING CONGRESS NOT TO TAKE ACTION ON NAT'L BROADBAND PLAN Introduced: 8/18/2011
Requester: NONE Cost: Final Action: 9/1/2011
Agenda Date: 9/1/2011 Agenda Item Number: 11A32
Notes: Title: RESOLUTION URGING CONGRESS AND THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION NOT TO TAKE ACTION RELATED TO IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NATIONAL BROADBAND PLAN THAT WOULD LIMIT OR DISRUPT AIRWAVES CURRENTLY ALLOCATED FOR FREE BROADCAST TELEVISION
Indexes: BROADCAST
  URGING
Sponsors: Rebeca Sosa, Prime Sponsor
  Bruno A. Barreiro, Co-Sponsor
  Lynda Bell, Co-Sponsor
  Esteban L. Bovo, Jr., Co-Sponsor
  Jose "Pepe" Diaz, Co-Sponsor
  Audrey M. Edmonson, Co-Sponsor
  Sally A. Heyman, Co-Sponsor
  Barbara J. Jordan, Co-Sponsor
  Joe A. Martinez, Co-Sponsor
  Jean Monestime, Co-Sponsor
  Dennis C. Moss, Co-Sponsor
Sunset Provision: No Effective Date: Expiration Date:
Registered Lobbyist: None Listed


Legislative History

Acting Body Date Agenda Item Action Sent To Due Date Returned Pass/Fail

Board of County Commissioners 9/1/2011 11A32 Adopted P
REPORT: Commissioner Sosa referred to a proposal being made via two companion bills that were filed in Congress. She identified the bills as S. 911 and H.R. 2482. Commissioner Sosa expressed concern that a portion of the proposal would prevent residents from watching local television unless they paid for cable television. She noted she supported the other portions of the proposal, and asked Mr. Angel Petisco, Director, Enterprise Technology Services Department to comment on the importance of the foregoing proposed resolution. Mr. Petisco noted the federal proposal would create an interoperable national public safety network on the tenth anniversary of 911, and he supported this. He noted however, that a portion of the proposal limited free public access to television. Mr. Petisco noted the resolution before the Commission today expressed the Commission’s support of the network, but urged the federal government to protect free television broadcasting to local residents. Commissioner Sosa said the implications of the proposed bills needed to be made clear nationwide since many counties and states did not understand them. All County Commissioners present asked to be added as co-sponsors to the foregoing proposed resolution. Hearing no further questions or comments, the Commission proceeded to vote on the foregoing proposed resolution as presented.

County Attorney 8/18/2011 Assigned Jess M. McCarty

Legislative Text


TITLE
RESOLUTION URGING CONGRESS AND THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION NOT TO TAKE ACTION RELATED TO IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NATIONAL BROADBAND PLAN THAT WOULD LIMIT OR DISRUPT AIRWAVES CURRENTLY ALLOCATED FOR FREE BROADCAST TELEVISION

BODY
WHEREAS, wireless companies and others claim that amounts of airwaves, or spectrum, currently allocated for high-speed wireless internet service are not sufficient to meet the expected increase in consumer demand over the next several years; and
WHEREAS, these companies have urged the federal government to reallocate spectrum for future wireless use; and
WHEREAS, on March 16, 2010, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) presented its National Broadband Plan to Congress, which recommended the reallocation for wireless broadband use of 500 MHz of spectrum, with 120 MHz being taken from airwaves currently allocated to local broadcast television; and
WHEREAS, in late 2010, the FCC released a rulemaking notice that represented the first major step in efforts to implement recommendations made in the National Broadband Plan; and
WHEREAS, the FCC also currently is seeking authority from Congress to hold spectrum incentive auctions to implement the recommendations of the National Broadband Plan; and
WHEREAS, bills have been filed in Congress, S. 911 by Senator Jay Rockefeller (D - West Virginia) and H.R. 2482 by Representative John Dingell (D � Michigan), that would provide the FCC with authority to conduct incentive auctions of currently licensed spectrum, including some broadcast television airwaves; and
WHEREAS, such a reallocation of spectrum could result in a reduction in and disruption to the airwaves currently used by free local television broadcast stations; and
WHEREAS, it is important that any such spectrum incentive auction be entirely voluntary, and not harm viewers who rely on local television by threatening existing broadcast service, such as local news and high definition programming; and
WHEREAS, free broadcast television is an important means to access local news and information, and to access alerts related to hurricanes and other inclement weather, which is particularly important to consider during the peak of hurricane season; and
WHEREAS, viewers who rely on free broadcast television are frequently senior citizens, the disabled and persons with low or fixed incomes who may not have the means to access cable or satellite television; and
WHEREAS, as such, it is important to preserve free broadcast television without significant disruption while making changes to implement the National Broadband Plan and provide for additional spectrum to meet increased wireless demand,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that this Board:
Section 1. Urges Congress and the Federal Communications Commission not to take action related to implementation of the National Broadband Plan that would limit or disrupt airwaves currently allocated for free broadcast television.
Section 2. Directs the Clerk of the Board to transmit a certified copy of this resolution to the members of the Florida Congressional Delegation and the Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission.
Section 3. Directs the County's federal lobbyists to advocate on this issue as set forth in Section 1 above, and authorizes and directs the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs to include this item in the 2011 and 2012 Federal Legislative Packages.



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