Washington, D.C.’s 911 audit will test if “specific incidents add up to a larger picture” of systemic dispatching problems at the Office of Unified Communications, city Auditor Kathy Patterson said in a Friday interview. After the Office of D.C. Auditor (ODCA) released a request for proposals Thursday (see 2009240066), OUC and D.C. Council Judiciary and Public Safety Committee Chairman Charles Allen (D) welcomed an audit. They offered some defenses for local 911 personnel.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, led filing of the Unplug the Internet Kill Switch Act (HR-8336/S-4646) in a bid to bar the president from using emergency powers to unilaterally take control over or deny access to the internet and other forms of communication. The measure would remove from Communications Act Section 706 language that allows the president to take control of or shut down "any facility or station for wire communication” if the White House deems it "necessary in the interest of the national security and defense” after a proclamation “that there exists a state or threat of war involving" the U.S. "If you give government an inch, it takes 10 miles, and this has been vividly illustrated by the surveillance state’s overreaches in a time of seemingly endless war," Paul said. "No president from either party should have the sole power to shut down or take control of the internet or any other of our communication channels during an emergency." Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Gary Peters, D-Mich., are lead co-sponsors of S-4646. Rep. Tom Massie, R-Ky., is co-sponsoring HR-8336. FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel previously raised concerns about the Section 706 language (see 2001280069).

Senate Communications Subcommittee members intermingled questions about FirstNet’s progress during a Thursday hearing with forays into how broader communications policy could affect the public safety broadband network. Subcommittee Chairman John Thune R-S.D., and others at times focused on whether legislation to further streamline permitting processes would aid FirstNet’s deployment. FirstNet CEO Edward Parkinson and AT&T Senior Vice President-FirstNet Program Jason Porter highlighted their progress in building the network and expressed willingness to carry out GAO recommendations that it improve communications with stakeholders (see 2009170071).

Washington, D.C.’s 911 office will be audited (see 2009240064) after concerns raised by the media and local and federal officials about possible dispatching mistakes, the Office of D.C. Auditor said Thursday. A final report could be finished May 15, said a request for proposals. District of Columbia Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 4B01’s Evan Yeats requested the audit and Thursday applauded Auditor Kathleen Patterson, who earlier said the office was considering such a move (see 2008070042). Other stakeholders also backed the review.

Draft legislation will be circulated next week that would “fundamentally alter” tech companies' business models, House Consumer Protection Subcommittee Chair Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., said during a hearing. Her draft bill will be aimed at giving regulators and consumers recourse when companies fail to deliver basic, stated commitments, she said. Reached after the hearing, Schakowsky wouldn’t say whether the draft bill directly targets Communications Decency Act Section 230.

Draft legislation will be circulated next week that would “fundamentally alter” tech companies' business models, House Consumer Protection Subcommittee Chair Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., said during a hearing. Her draft bill will be aimed at giving regulators and consumers recourse when companies fail to deliver basic, stated commitments, she said. Reached after the hearing, Schakowsky wouldn’t say whether the draft bill directly targets Communications Decency Act Section 230.

Opponents of states using 911 fees for unrelated purposes support an FCC notice of inquiry proposed for vote at Wednesday’s meeting. Some want earlier action and wonder what the future holds, since the item’s main FCC champion, Commissioner Mike O’Rielly, is likely leaving. The agency would ask how to dissuade states from diverting 911 fees and the impact of the practice (see 2009090048).

Wanting to participate in the C-band auction and hold common carrier wireless licenses, Altice's CSC Wireless is asking the FCC International Bureau to waive foreign-ownership rule caps. In a petition for declaratory ruling Monday, CSC said it's controlled by the Next Alt holding company of Luxembourg and Israeli citizen Patrick Drahi beyond the 25% benchmark set in the Communications Act for common carrier radio license ownership, but that raises no national security issues and granting the petition would help promote competition.

The FTC is watching data portability issues closely, as they tie into consumer and antitrust, Consumer Protection Bureau Director Andrew Smith told the agency’s virtual workshop Tuesday. The FTC is following the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s recent announcement of a potential rulemaking under the Dodd-Frank Act Section 1033, which “authorizes the CFPB to create rules enhancing consumers’ access to their financial data,” Smith said. Data portability can increase consumer choice and control and foster competition by lowering barriers to entry, he said. increased data flows raise questions about how to properly ensure data is secured, he added. Data portability could eventually help balance network effects of platforms, said Karolina Mojzesowicz, European Commission deputy head-Unit for Data Protection, Directorate General for Justice and Consumers. Consumers are more sensitive about their data and more proactive about looking for services offering data portability, she said.

The FTC is watching data portability issues closely, as they tie into consumer and antitrust, Consumer Protection Bureau Director Andrew Smith told the agency’s virtual workshop Tuesday. The FTC is following the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s recent announcement of a potential rulemaking under the Dodd-Frank Act Section 1033, which “authorizes the CFPB to create rules enhancing consumers’ access to their financial data,” Smith said. Data portability can increase consumer choice and control and foster competition by lowering barriers to entry, he said. increased data flows raise questions about how to properly ensure data is secured, he added. Data portability could eventually help balance network effects of platforms, said Karolina Mojzesowicz, European Commission deputy head-Unit for Data Protection, Directorate General for Justice and Consumers. Consumers are more sensitive about their data and more proactive about looking for services offering data portability, she said.