S. 4062

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4062 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4062

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 SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

March 11, 2026

Ms. Klobuchar (for herself, Mr. Budd, and Ms. Cortez Masto) introduced 
the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee 
on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

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, 2027, 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 enactment of this section, the 
Assistant Secretary shall--
``(i) submit the management plan developed 
under subparagraph (A) to--
``(I) the Committees on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation and 
Appropriations of the Senate; and
``(II) the Committees on Energy and 
Commerce and Appropriations of the 
House of Representatives;
``(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 Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation and 
Appropriations of the Senate; and
``(II) the Committees on Energy and 
Commerce and Appropriations of the 
House of Representatives;
``(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 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 described in 
subparagraph (A) 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 the rules issued under subparagraph (A) 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 
this subsection;
``(B) return any grant awarded under this 
subsection; and
``(C) not be eligible to receive any subsequent 
grants under this subsection.
``(8) Prohibition.--Grant funds provided under this 
subsection may not be used--
``(A) to support any activity of the First 
Responder Network Authority; or
``(B) to make any payments to a person who has 
been, for reasons of national security, prohibited by 
any entity of the Federal Government from bidding on a 
contract, participating in an auction, or receiving a 
grant.
``(d) Definitions.--In this section and sections 160 and 161:
``(1) 9-1-1 fee or charge.--The term `9-1-1 fee or charge' 
has the meaning given the term in section 6(f)(3)(D) of the 
Wireless Communications and Public Safety Act of 1999 (47 
U.S.C. 615a-1(f)(3)(D)).
``(2) 9-1-1 request for emergency assistance.--The term `9-
1-1 request for emergency assistance' means a communication, 
such as voice, text, picture, multimedia, or any other type of 
data, that is sent to an emergency communications center for 
the purpose of requesting emergency assistance.
``(3) Administrator.--The term `Administrator' means the 
Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety 
Administration.
``(4) Commonly accepted standards.--The term `commonly 
accepted standards' means the technical standards followed by 
the communications industry for network, device, and Internet 
Protocol connectivity that--
``(A) enable interoperability; and
``(B) are--
``(i) developed and approved by a standards 
development organization that is accredited by 
an American standards body (such as the 
American National Standards Institute) or an 
equivalent international standards body in a 
process--
``(I) that is open to the public, 
including open for participation by any 
person; and
``(II) provides for a conflict 
resolution process;
``(ii) subject to an open comment and input 
process before being finalized by the standards 
development organization;
``(iii) consensus-based; and
``(iv) made publicly available once 
approved.
``(5) Cost related to the training.--The term `cost related 
to the training' means--
``(A) actual wages incurred for travel and 
attendance, including any necessary overtime pay and 
backfill wage;
``(B) travel expenses;
``(C) instructor expenses; or
``(D) facility costs and training materials.
``(6) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity'--
``(A) means--
``(i) a State or a Tribe; or
``(ii) an entity, including a public 
authority, board, or commission, established by 
1 or more entities described in clause (i); and
``(B) does not include any entity that has failed 
to submit the certifications required under subsection 
(c)(5).
``(7) Emergency communications center.--
``(A) In general.--The term `emergency 
communications center' means--
``(i) a facility that--
``(I) is designated to receive a 9-
1-1 request for emergency assistance; 
and
``(II) performs 1 or more of the 
functions described in subparagraph 
(B); or
``(ii) a public safety answering point, as 
defined in section 222 of the Communications 
Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 222).
``(B) Functions described.--The functions described 
in this subparagraph are the following:
``(i) Processing and analyzing 9-1-1 
requests for emergency assistance and 
information and data related to such requests.
``(ii) Dispatching appropriate emergency 
response providers.
``(iii) Transferring or exchanging 9-1-1 
requests for emergency assistance and 
information and data related to such requests 
with 1 or more other emergency communications 
centers and emergency response providers.
``(iv) Analyzing any communications 
received from emergency response providers.
``(v) Supporting incident command 
functions.
``(8) Emergency response provider.--The term `emergency 
response provider' has the meaning given the term in section 2 
of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 101).
``(9) First responder network authority.--The term `First 
Responder Network Authority' means the authority established 
under section 6204 of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job 
Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1424).
``(10) Interoperability.--The term `interoperability' means 
the capability of emergency communications centers to receive 
9-1-1 requests for emergency assistance and information and 
data related to such requests, such as location information and 
callback numbers from a person initiating the request, then 
process and share the 9-1-1 requests for emergency assistance 
and information and data related to such requests with other 
emergency communications centers and emergency response 
providers without the need for proprietary interfaces and 
regardless of jurisdiction, equipment, device, software, 
service provider, or other relevant factors.
``(11) Nationwide public safety broadband network.--The 
term `nationwide public safety broadband network' has the 
meaning given the term in section 6001 of the Middle Class Tax 
Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 1401).
``(12) Next generation 9-1-1.--The term `Next Generation 9-
1-1' means an Internet Protocol-based system that--
``(A) ensures interoperability;
``(B) is secure;
``(C) employs commonly accepted standards;
``(D) enables emergency communications centers to 
receive, process, and analyze all types of 9-1-1 
requests for emergency assistance;
``(E) acquires and integrates additional 
information useful to handling 9-1-1 requests for 
emergency assistance; and
``(F) supports sharing information related to 9-1-1 
requests for emergency assistance among emergency 
communications centers and emergency response 
providers.
``(13) Reliability.--The term `reliability' means the 
employment of sufficient measures to ensure the ongoing 
operation of Next Generation 9-1-1 including through the use of 
geo-diverse, device- and network-agnostic elements that provide 
more than 1 route between end points with no common points 
where a single failure at that point would cause all to fail.
``(14) State.--The term `State' means any State of the 
United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, American 
Samoa, Guam, the United States Virgin Islands, the Northern 
Mariana Islands, and any other territory or possession of the 
United States.
``(15) Sustainable funding mechanism.--The term 
`sustainable funding mechanism' means a funding mechanism that 
provides adequate revenues to cover ongoing expenses, including 
operations, maintenance, and upgrades.
``(16) Tribe.--The term `Tribe' has the meaning given the 
term `Indian Tribe' in section 4(e) of the Indian Self-
Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304(e)).

``SEC. 160. ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONWIDE NEXT GENERATION 9-1-1 
CYBERSECURITY CENTER.

``The Assistant Secretary, after consulting with the Administrator 
and the Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security 
Agency of the Department of Homeland Security, shall establish a Next 
Generation 9-1-1 Cybersecurity Center to coordinate with State, local, 
and regional governments on the sharing of cybersecurity information 
about, the analysis of cybersecurity threats to, and guidelines for 
strategies to detect and prevent cybersecurity intrusions relating to 
Next Generation 9-1-1.

``SEC. 161. NEXT GENERATION 9-1-1 ADVISORY BOARD.

``(a) Next Generation 9-1-1 Advisory Board.--
``(1) Establishment.--The Assistant Secretary shall 
establish a `Public Safety Next Generation 9-1-1 Advisory 
Board' (in this section referred to as the `Board') to provide 
recommendations to the Assistant Secretary--
``(A) with respect to carrying out the duties and 
responsibilities of the Assistant Secretary in issuing 
the regulations required under section 159(c);
``(B) as required by paragraph (7); and
``(C) upon request under paragraph (8).
``(2) Membership.--
``(A) Voting members.--Not later than 150 days 
after the date of enactment of this section, the 
Assistant Secretary shall appoint 16 public safety 
members to the Board, of which--
``(i) 4 members shall represent local law 
enforcement officials;
``(ii) 4 members shall represent fire and 
rescue officials;
``(iii) 4 members shall represent emergency 
medical service officials; and
``(iv) 4 members shall represent 9-1-1 
professionals.
``(B) Diversity of membership.--Members shall be 
representatives of States or Tribes and local 
governments, chosen to reflect geographic and 
population density differences as well as public safety 
organizations at the national level across the United 
States.
``(C) Expertise.--All members shall have specific 
expertise necessary for developing technical 
requirements under this section, such as technical 
expertise, and expertise related to public safety 
communications and 9-1-1 services.
``(D) Rank and file members.--In making the 
appointments required by subparagraph (A), the 
Assistant Secretary shall appoint a rank and file 
member from each of the public safety disciplines 
listed in clauses (i) through (iv) of subparagraph (A) 
as a member of the Board and shall select such member 
from an organization that represents its public safety 
discipline at the national level.
``(3) Period of appointment.--
``(A) In general.--Except as provided in 
subparagraph (B), members of the Board shall serve for 
a 3-year term.
``(B) Removal for cause.--A member of the Board may 
be removed for cause upon the determination of the 
Assistant Secretary.
``(4) Vacancies.--Any vacancy in the Board shall be filled 
in the same manner as the original appointment.
``(5) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the Board shall 
constitute a quorum.
``(6) Chairperson and vice chairperson.--The Board shall 
select a Chairperson and Vice Chairperson from among the voting 
members of the Board.
``(7) Duty of board to submit recommendations.--Not later 
than 120 days after all members of the Board are appointed 
under paragraph (2), the Board shall submit to the Assistant 
Secretary recommendations for--
``(A) deploying Next Generation 9-1-1 in rural and 
urban areas;
``(B) ensuring flexibility in guidance, rules, and 
grant funding to allow for technology improvements;
``(C) creating efficiencies related to Next 
Generation 9-1-1, including cybersecurity and the 
virtualization and sharing of core infrastructure;
``(D) enabling effective coordination among State, 
local, Tribal, and territorial government entities to 
ensure that the needs of emergency communications 
centers in both rural and urban areas are taken into 
account in each implementation plan required under 
section 159(c)(3)(A)(iii); and
``(E) incorporating existing cybersecurity 
resources into Next Generation 9-1-1 procurement and 
deployment.
``(8) Authority to provide additional recommendations.--
Except as provided in paragraphs (1) and (7), the Board may 
provide recommendations to the Assistant Secretary only upon 
request of the Assistant Secretary.
``(9) Duration of authority.--The Board shall terminate on 
the date on which funds made available to make grants under 
section 159(c) are no longer available to be expended.
``(b) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section may be 
construed as limiting the authority of the Assistant Secretary to seek 
comment from stakeholders and the public.

``SEC. 162. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

``(a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the 
Assistant Secretary to carry out sections 159, 160, and 161 such sums 
as may be necessary for fiscal years 2027 through 2031, and such 
amounts are authorized to remain available until expended.
``(b) Administrative Costs.--Not more than 4 percent of any amounts 
appropriated under subsection (a) may be used for administrative 
purposes (including carrying out sections 160 and 161).''.
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