The FCC Office of General Counsel and Media Bureau won't investigate any allegedly inaccurate statements by President Donald Trump on COVID-19 that broadcasters carried. FCC staff "today wholly rejected a petition by Free Press demanding a government investigation into broadcasters that have aired" such statements during White House Coronavirus Task Force briefings and related commentary "regarding the coronavirus pandemic by other on-air personalities." That's per a letter/order the commission announced Monday.
The National Public Safety Telecommunications Council opposes Boulder Regional Emergency Telephone Service Authority’s pursuit of a declaratory ruling or rulemaking on FirstNet interoperability (see 1910150038), said a filing posted Wednesday in docket 19-254. “It could actually reduce interoperability,” NPSTC said: “Requiring that the Public Safety Broadband Network (NPSBN) be interoperable at the network level with other commercial networks in essence would transition the NPSBN architecture from one nationwide broadband network to a broadband network of networks across which public safety users would roam."
FCC Commissioner Mike O’Rielly urged leaders from the House and Senate Commerce committees Thursday to ensure states that use 911 fees for other purposes are barred from receiving funding for next-generation 911 projects that might be included in the next legislative package addressing COVID-19. Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts and 34 other Senate Democrats pressed Capitol Hill leaders to include “at least” $2 billion in additional E-rate funding. Signers include Senate Communications Subcommittee ranking member Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California and other Democratic leaders want to include infrastructure funding, citing President Donald Trump's interest (see 2004010071).
The state's attorney general isn’t backing off plans to enforce the California Consumer Privacy Act starting July 1 despite a push by business groups to delay it by six months amid COVID-19. Lawyers are advising businesses to expect enforcement that day. The public health crisis must delay some things but shouldn't postpone this, said California Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Hannah-Beth Jackson (D) in an interview.
The state's attorney general isn’t backing off plans to enforce the California Consumer Privacy Act starting July 1 despite a push by business groups to delay it by six months amid COVID-19. Lawyers are advising businesses to expect enforcement that day. The public health crisis must delay some things but shouldn't postpone this, said California Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Hannah-Beth Jackson (D) in an interview.
The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau is postponing due dates for payments of federal excise taxes to help businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, but it’s still unclear whether imported products will benefit from the extension. “Effective immediately, all due dates for paying Federal excise taxes to TTB on wine, beer, distilled spirits, tobacco products, cigarette papers and tubes, firearms, and ammunition are postponed 90 days from the due date otherwise prescribed,” TTB said in a guidance posted March 31. But the extension applies only to excise tax payable to TTB, and the guidance directs importers to contact CBP for information about imported products.
Privacy advocates fear COVID-19 is creating a surveillance state that will outlast the pandemic. Experts during streamed events Wednesday disagreed how much access the U.S. government will have to data, given constitutional protections.
Privacy advocates fear COVID-19 is creating a surveillance state that will outlast the pandemic. Experts during streamed events Wednesday disagreed how much access the U.S. government will have to data, given constitutional protections.
As importers wait to hear whether duties can be deferred for 90 days after goods enter the U.S., voices for and against the proposal are speaking out. Reports have said that the deferral would be on most favored nation (MFN), but not sections 301, 232 or 201 actions. President Donald Trump has been coy about whether he will support such a move, or when (see 2004010047).
The U.S. Judicial Conference is temporarily allowing teleconferencing in federal courts for civil proceedings, plus video and teleconferencing for some criminal proceedings, during the COVID-19 pandemic, it said Tuesday. It said authorization ends when it finds federal courts are no longer materially affected or 30 days after the national emergency ends, whichever is sooner. Its executive committee approved allowing judges to authorize teleconferencing to allow audio access when the public can't enter courthouses.