H.R. 1519 — Public Safety Communications Act

This section establishes within the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) the Office of Public Safety Communications, headed by the Associate Administrator for Public Safety Communications—a career position in the Senior Executive Service who reports to the Assistant Secretary. The Associate Administrator must (1) administer federal Next Generation 9-1-1 grant programs on behalf of the Assistant Secretary; (2) analyze public safety communications policy issues; (3) advise and assist the Assistant Secretary on NTIA public safety communications responsibilities and evaluation of related matters before the FCC, Congress, or other executive entities; (4) perform duties under Department of Commerce Organizational Order 25-7; (5) oversee federal studies, prototyping, and deployment of advanced public safety communications technologies; (6) manage the First Responder Network Authority (FRNA)—responsible for building, deploying, and operating the nationwide public safety broadband network (47 U.S.C. 1426)—including oversight of its duties; (7) communicate public safety communications policies to public and private entities at the Assistant Secretary's direction; and (8) perform other NTIA public safety duties as designated. The Associate Administrator must also conduct annual audits of FRNA activities in accordance with general accounting principles, potentially through contractors procured under federal acquisition law.