PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications Commission 445 12th St., S.W. Washington, D.C. 20554 News Media Information 202 / 418-0500 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov TTY: 1-888-835-5322 DA 13-28 Released: January 11, 2013 EMERGENCY ACCESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE CHARTER EXTENDED TO JUNE 14, 2013 Committee Focusing on Matters Pertaining to Next Generation 9-1-1 Access for Persons with Disabilities By this Public Notice, the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau and the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) extend the charter of the Emergency Access Advisory Committee (EAAC) by six months until June 14, 2013. This extension of the charter will enable the EAAC to complete the important work it began in early 2011 pursuant to the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA).1 The EAAC was chartered on January 14, 20112 to determine the most effective and efficient technologies and methods by which to enable equal access to emergency services by individuals with disabilities as part of our nation’s migration to Next Generation 911 (NG9-1-1),3 and to make recommendations to the Commission on how to achieve those effective and efficient technologies and methods.4 In spring 2011, the EAAC conducted a nationwide survey of individuals with disabilities and released a report on that survey on July 21, 2011.5 Following release of the survey report, the EAAC developed recommendations, which it submitted to the Commission on December 7, 2011, as required by the CVAA.6 However, the EAAC clarified that the December 2011 recommendations did not constitute the full report and requested additional editorial privileges and the right to submit a full report that will 1 Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010, Pub. L. No. 111-260, 124 Stat. 2751(CVAA) (amending sections 3, 255, 303, 503, 330, 710, and 713 of the Communications Act, and adding sections 615c and 715-19, codified at 47 U.S.C. §§ 153, 225, 303, 330, 503, 610, 613, 615c, 616-20). 2 Emergency Access Advisory Committee Charter, available at http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-304524A1.doc (CGB rel. Jan. 11, 2011) (EAAC Charter); Emergency Access Advisory Committee Announcement of Members and Co-Chairpersons, Public Notice, DA 10- 2318 (CGB rel. Dec. 7, 2010). 3 47 U.S.C. § 615a. 4 47 U.S.C. § 615c. 5 EAAC, Report on Emergency Calling for Persons with Disabilities Survey Review and Analysis 2011, July 21, 2011, at 3, available at http://transition.fcc.gov/cgb/dro/EAAC/EAAC-REPORT.pdf (last visited Jan. 7, 2013). 6 See EAAC, Report and Recommendations, December 11, 2011, available at http://www.fcc.gov/document/eaac- report-and-recommendations (last visited Jan.7, 2013); see also 47 U.S.C. § 615c(g) (providing that “[t]he Commission shall have the authority to promulgate regulations to implement the recommendations proposed by the [EAAC], as well as any other regulations, technical standards, protocols, and procedures as are necessary to achieve reliable, interoperable communication that ensures access by individuals with disabilities to an Internet protocol- enabled emergency network, where achievable and technically feasible”). 2contain the technical and policy background for these recommendations at a later date.7 The EAAC subsequently formed subcommittees to further explain in detail its initial recommendations related to interoperability testing, language assistance, gaps in existing public safety standards, timelines for deployment and pre-NG 911 mobile text-to-911 solutions. The EAAC Charter provides that the EAAC shall terminate two years from the date of the Charter, thus expiring on January 14, 2013.8 The Commission has received requests from the co-chairs of the EAAC,9 the Consumers Group and Gallaudet Technology Access Program,10 the National Emergency Number Association11, and the APCO International12 to extend or renew the Charter to allow the EAAC to complete its reports and recommendations regarding the accessibility of emergency access by people with disabilities. Accordingly, by this Public Notice, the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau and the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau grant these requests, and provide a six-month extension of the Charter in order to ensure the EAAC has sufficient time to complete its work, pursuant to the CVAA.13 The Charter is hereby effective until June 14, 2013. ACCESSIBLE FORMATS: To request materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), send an e-mail to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice), 202-418-0432 (TTY). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Suzy Rosen Singleton, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, 202-810-1503, or Suzanne.Singleton@fcc.gov (e-mail); and/or Zenji Nakazawa, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, 202-418-7949, Zenji.Nakazawa@fcc.gov (e-mail). - FCC - 7 See EAAC, Report and Recommendations, December 11, 2011, page 3, available at http://www.fcc.gov/document/eaac-report-and-recommendations (last visited Jan.8, 2013). 8 EAAC Charter supra note 2. 9 Ex Parte Letter from Messrs. Richard L. Ray and David Dzumba, Co-Chairs, EAAC, to Honorable Julius Genachowski, Chairman, FCC, CG Docket No. 10-255 (filed Jan. 4, 2013). 10 Ex Parte Letter from the Consumers Group and the Gallaudet Technology Access Program, to the Honorable Julius Genachowski, Chairman, FCC, CG Docket No. 10-255 (filed Dec. 21, 2012). The following organizations comprise the Consumers Group: the National Association of the Deaf, the Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Inc., the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Consumer Advocacy Network, the Hearing Loss Association of America, the Association of Late-Deafened Adults, the Cerebral Palsy and Deaf Organization, and the Gallaudet University Technology Access Program. 11 Ex Parte Letter from Brian Fontes, CEO, National Emergency Number Association, to Honorable Julius Genachowski, Chairman, FCC, CG Docket 10-255, (filed Dec. 21, 2012). 12 Ex Parte Letter from Derek K. Poarch, Executive Director, APCO International, to Honorable Julius Genachowski, Chairman, FCC, CG Docket 10-255 (filed January 10, 2013). 13 See 47 U.S.C. § 615c(d)(2) (providing that “the Advisory Committee shall meet at the call of the chairs, but no less than monthly until the recommendations required pursuant to subsection (c) are completed and submitted).