Spectrum Coordination Act

This bill makes the FCC and the NTIA share more information with the public when they consider shifting parts of the radio airwaves to new uses. For any proposal that could lead to auctions or new licenses and might affect federal users, the NTIA must post in the public record when it was notified, which federal agencies could be affected, when those agencies were told, and any technical, procedural, or policy concerns. When a final rule is issued, the FCC must publish a short summary explaining if concerns were raised and how they were handled. A “spectrum action” here means a proposed FCC reallocation expected to result in competitive bidding or licensing that could impact federal operations.

The FCC and NTIA also have to update their coordination agreement within three years of the law taking effect and at least every four years after that, to keep up with changing technology and policies. The bill does not require releasing classified or other legally protected information.

• Who is affected: FCC, NTIA, federal agencies that use radio spectrum, and the public who can see more about interagency coordination.
• What changes: Public filing of timelines, affected agencies, and concerns during the comment period; a final “interagency coordination summary” with each qualifying final rule; and regular updates to the FCC–NTIA agreement .
• When: NTIA files during the public comment period; the FCC publishes the summary with the final rule; the agreement must be updated within 3 years of enactment and at least every 4 years after.