To: Consumer Contact List
From: Karen Peltz Strauss
Re: Consumer Contact List: CAC Meeting, ASL-Spanish VRS, FCC Staff Changes, Lifeline-Link-up Program, New FCC Bureau, Closed
Captioning Exemptions
Date: March 20, 2006
1. Consumer Advisory Committee Meeting - On April 7, 2006, the FCC will hold its next Consumer Advisory Committee meeting
at the FCC. A number of the issues that will be addressed concern disability matters, including:
-
recommendations from the TRS Working Group on the length of time that a TRS communications assistant (CA) needs to
stay on a speech-to-speech call (before transferring to another speech-to-speech CA); a proposal to support the provision
of captioned telephone relay services; a proposal for FCC enforcement of TRS certified entities; and a recommendation
regarding references to sign language interpretation in FCC rules
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recommendations from the Advanced Technologies Working Group on the preparation of an FCC Consumer-Disability Impact
Statement on proposed FCC actions; a recommendation to clarify closed captioning rules, especially with regard to DTV;
and a recommendation to determine the extent to which DTV converter boxes will be capable of passing through captioning
and video description
CONSUMER ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO MEET FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 2006. News Release. News Media Contact: Rosemary Kimball at (202)
418-0511, email:
Rosemary.Kimball@fcc.gov CGB. Contact Scott Marshall at (202) 418-2809,
email: Scott.Marshall@fcc.gov, TTY: (202) 418-0179
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-264296A1.doc>
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-264296A1.pdf>
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-264296A1.txt>
Released: 03/14/2006. ANNOUNCEMENT OF NEXT MEETING DATE AND AGENDA OF CONSUMER ADVISORY COMMITTEE. (DA No. 06-580). CGB.
Contact: Scott Marshall at (202) 418-2809, email: Scott.Marshall@fcc.gov, TTY:
(202) 418-0179
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-580A1.doc>
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-580A1.pdf>
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-580A1.txt>
The notice and agenda for this meeting is attached
2. ASL-Spanish VRS Petition- On February 6, 2006, Communication Service for the Deaf filed a petition with the FCC seeking
clarification as to whether ASL-Spanish VRS must be provided on a 24/7 basis. Comments on the petition are due April 7, 2006
and reply comments are due April 24, 2006. The summary of this request appears at71 Fed. Reg. 11644 (March 8, 2006).
Released: 02/22/2006. FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION SEEKS COMMENT ON PETITION FOR CLARIFICATION CONCERNING THE
PROVISION OF ASL-TO-SPANISH VIDEO RELAY SERVICE (VRS). (DA No. 06-387). (Dkt No 03-123) Pleading Cycle Established. CGB.
Contact: Dana Jackson at (202) 418-2247, email: Dana.Jackson@fcc.gov, TTY: (202)
418-7898
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-387A1.doc>
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-387A1.pdf>
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-387A1.txt>
3. Staff Changes in Commissioner Copps' office - Jordan Goldstein, who has been Commissioner Copps' senior
legal advisor, will soon be leaving the FCC. Jessica Rosenworcel will move into Jordan's position. Bruce Liang
Gottlieb will also be joining Commissioner Copps' staff.
COMMISSIONER COPPS ANNOUNCES STAFF CHANGES. News Release. News Media
Contact: Jessica Rosenworcel at (202) 418-2000 CMMR
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-264385A1.doc>
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-264385A1.pdf>
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-264385A1.txt>
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4. Lifeline-Link-up Request for Public Feedback - The FCC has released a Public Notice (attached) seeking input on its
Lifeline and Link-Up outreach program. As these are programs frequently used by people with disabilities, I am forwarding
this for your information.
5. New FCC Bureau to be Created - The FCC has announced plans to open a new bureau for public safety and homeland
security. The extent to which this bureau will be responsive to disability issues will be closely watched.
FCC ADOPTS PLAN TO ESTABLISH A PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY BUREAU. The Commission took a critical step forward in
its plan to strengthen its public safety and homeland security functions by voting unanimously to establish a "Public Safety
and Homeland Security Bureau.". News Release. Adopted: 03/17/2006. News Media Contact: David
Fiske at (202) 418-0513 OMD. Contact Anthony Dale at (202) 418-2260
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-264395A1.doc>
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-264395A2.doc>
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-264395A3.doc>
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-264395A4.doc>
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-264395A5.doc>
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-264395A1.pdf>
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-264395A2.pdf>
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-264395A3.pdf>
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-264395A4.pdf>
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-264395A5.pdf>
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-264395A6.pdf>
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-264395A1.txt>
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-264395A2.txt>
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-264395A3.txt>
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-264395A4.txt>
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-264395A5.txt>
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-264395A6.txt>
6.Closed Captioning Exemption Requests - Nearly every day, multiple requests for individual channel exemptions from the
closed captioning rules are filed - too many to report in this update. For additional information on these, contact either
TDI and the NAD - both organizations are monitoring these.