Sec. 3. AM broadcast stations rule
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/bill/118/hr/8449/ih/section-3·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with the Administrator and the Federal Communications Commission, shall issue a rule— requiring devices that can receive signals and play content transmitted by AM broadcast stations be installed as standard equipment in passenger motor vehicles— manufactured in the United States, imported into the United States, or shipped in interstate commerce; and manufactured after the effective date of the rule; requiring access to AM broadcast stations in a manner that is easily accessible to a driver after the effective date of the rule; and allowing a manufacturer to comply with that rule by installing devices that can receive signals and play content transmitted by digital audio AM broadcast stations as standard equipment in passenger motor vehicles manufactured in the United States, imported into the United States, or shipped in interstate commerce after the effective date of the rule.
Except as provided in paragraph (2), in issuing the rule required under subsection (a), the Secretary shall establish an effective date for the rule that is not less than 2 years, but not more than 3 years, after the date on which the rule is issued. In issuing the rule required under subsection (a), the Secretary shall establish an effective date for the rule that is at least 4 years after the date on which the rule is issued with respect to manufacturers that manufactured not more than 40,000 passenger motor vehicles for sale in the United States in 2022.
For passenger motor vehicles manufactured after the date of enactment of this Act and manufactured in the United States, imported into the United States, or shipped in interstate commerce between the period of time beginning on the date of enactment of this Act and ending on the effective date of the rule issued under subsection
(a)that do not include devices that can receive signals and play content transmitted by AM broadcast stations, the manufacturer of the passenger motor vehicles— shall provide clear and conspicuous labeling to inform purchasers of those passenger motor vehicles that the passenger motor vehicles do not include devices that can receive signals and play content transmitted by AM broadcast stations; and may not charge an additional or separate monetary fee, payment, or surcharge, beyond the base price of the passenger motor vehicles, for access to AM broadcast stations for the period of time described in this subsection. When the rule issued under subsection
(a)is in effect, a State or a political subdivision of a State may not prescribe or continue in effect a law, regulation, or other requirement applicable to access to AM broadcast stations in passenger motor vehicles. Any person failing to comply with the rule issued under subsection
(a)shall be liable to the United States Government for a civil penalty in accordance with section 30165(a)(1) of title 49, United States Code. The Attorney General may bring a civil action in an appropriate district court of the United States to enjoin a violation of the rule issued under subsection
(a)in accordance with section 30163 of title 49, United States Code. The Comptroller General shall conduct a comprehensive study on disseminating emergency alerts and warnings to the public. The study required under paragraph
(1)shall include— an assessment of— the role of passenger motor vehicles in IPAWS communications, including by providing access to AM broadcast stations; the advantages, effectiveness, limitations, resilience, and accessibility of existing IPAWS communication technologies, including AM broadcast stations in passenger motor vehicles; the advantages, effectiveness, limitations, resilience, and accessibility of AM broadcast stations relative to other IPAWS communication technologies in passenger motor vehicles; whether other IPAWS communication technologies are capable of ensuring the President (or a designee) can reach at least 90 percent of the population of the United States at a time of crisis, including at night; and a description of any ongoing efforts to integrate new and emerging technologies and communication platforms into the IPAWS framework. In conducting the study required under paragraph (1), the Comptroller General shall consult with— the Secretary of Homeland Security; the Federal Communications Commission; the National Telecommunications and Information Administration; the Secretary; Federal, State, Tribal, territorial, and local emergency management officials; first responders; technology experts in resilience and accessibility; radio broadcasters; manufacturers of passenger motor vehicles; and other relevant stakeholders, as determined by the Comptroller General. Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall brief the appropriate committees of Congress on the results of the study required by subsection (f)(1), including recommendations for legislation and administrative action as the Comptroller General determines appropriate. Not later than 180 days after the date on which the Comptroller General provides the briefing required under paragraph (1), the Comptroller General shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report describing the results of the study required under subsection (f)(1), including recommendations for legislation and administrative action as the Comptroller General determines appropriate. Not less frequently than once every 5 years after the date on which the Secretary issued the rule required by subsection (a), the Secretary, in coordination with the Administrator and the Federal Communications Commission, shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report that shall include an assessment of— the impacts of the rule issued under that subsection, including the impacts on public safety; and changes to IPAWS communication technologies that enable resilient and accessible alerts to drivers and passengers of passenger motor vehicles.