Sponsors (10)
The bill improves public safety by warning beachgoers about potential shark threats, but it risks alert fatigue and creates additional operational burdens for local emergency officials and regulators.
Coastal residents and beachgoers would receive timely Wireless Emergency Alerts about potential shark attacks, enabling them to avoid affected beaches and reduce the risk of injury.
Coastal communities and the general public could become desensitized if alerts are sent more frequently, reducing the overall effectiveness of the Wireless Emergency Alert system.
Local emergency managers and the FCC would face increased operational burdens to determine when alerts are justified, which could strain resources and slow decision-making.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires the FCC, within 180 days, to allow Wireless Emergency Alerts to be used for shark attacks.
Requires the Federal Communications Commission to issue an order within 180 days of enactment to designate a shark attack as an event that can trigger a Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA). The change would allow emergency managers to send Alert Messages to mobile devices when a shark attack occurs, expanding the list of event types covered by the WEA system.
Official title: Require the Federal Communications Commission to issue an order providing that a shark attack is an event for which a wireless emergency alert may be transmitted, and for other purposes.
Introduced March 12, 2025 by Katie Boyd Britt · Last progress June 26, 2026