text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Wi-Fi Innovation Act''.
  
  SEC. 2. PROMOTING UNLICENSED SPECTRUM.
  
      (a) Definitions.--In this section:
              (1) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the Federal 
          Communications Commission.
              (2) Dedicated short-range communications services.--The 
          term ``Dedicated Short-Range Communications Services'' has the 
          meaning given the term in section 90.7 of title 47, Code of 
          Federal Regulations.
              (3) Dynamic frequency selection.--The term ``Dynamic 
          Frequency Selection'' has the meaning given the term in section 
          15.403 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations.
              (4) 5850-5925 mhz band.--The term ``5850-5925 MHz band'' 
          has the meaning given the term in section 6406(c) of the Middle 
          Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (47 U.S.C. 
          1453(c)).
              (5) NTIA.--The term ``NTIA'' means the National 
          Telecommunications and Information Administration.
              (6) Technical rules suitable for the widespread commercial 
          development of unlicensed operations.--The term ``technical 
          rules suitable for the widespread commercial development of 
          unlicensed operations'' means technical rules that, to the 
          maximum extent feasible--
                      (A) permit outdoor unlicensed operations;
                      (B) permit unlicensed operations at a maximum 
                  conducted transmitter output power limit of not less 
                  than 1 watt; and
                      (C) do not require unlicensed devices to employ 
                  Dynamic Frequency Selection.
      (b) Modification of Regulations To Promote Unlicensed Use in the 5 
  GHz Band.--
              (1) In general.--
                      (A) Provision of additional unlicensed spectrum.--
                  The Commission shall modify title 47, Code of Federal 
                  Regulations, to provide additional unlicensed spectrum 
                  in the 5850-5925 MHz band under technical rules 
                  suitable for the widespread commercial development of 
                  unlicensed operations in the band, as specified under 
                  paragraph (2).
                      (B) NTIA cooperation.--The NTIA shall facilitate 
                  the modification described in subparagraph (A) by 
                  cooperating with the Commission to identify the 
                  spectrum management actions necessary to accommodate 
                  the regulatory changes specified under paragraph (2).
              (2) Required actions and modifications.--
                      (A) In general.--
                              (i) Office of engineering and technology 
                          public notice.--Not later than 3 months after 
                          the date of enactment of this Act, the Office 
                          of Engineering and Technology of the Commission 
                          shall issue a public notice seeking comment on 
                          proposals for--
                                      (I) interference-mitigation 
                                  techniques and technologies, and 
                                  potential rechannelization, that would 
                                  accommodate both incumbent licensees, 
                                  including Dedicated Short Range 
                                  Communications Services licensees, and 
                                  widespread commercial unlicensed 
                                  operations in the 5850-5925 MHz band; 
                                  and
                                      (II) deployment timelines for the 
                                  technologies described in subparagraph 
                                  (I).
                              (ii) NTIA response.--The NTIA, in response 
                          to the public notice issued under clause (i), 
                          shall publicly submit to the Office of 
                          Engineering and Technology a description of any 
                          current and anticipated further Federal uses of 
                          the 5850-5925 MHz band.
                      (B) Test plan.--
                              (i) In general.--Not later than 6 months 
                          after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
                          Commission shall, in consultation with the 
                          Department of Transportation and the NTIA, 
                          develop and publish a test plan, including a 
                          timeline, for the use of unlicensed devices in 
                          the 5850-5925 MHz band.
                              (ii) Requirement.--The test plan developed 
                          and published under clause (i) shall be 
                          designed to allow the Commission to evaluate 
                          technologies for allowing unlicensed devices to 
                          utilize the 5850-5925 MHz band without causing 
                          harmful interference to incumbent licensees, 
                          including Dedicated Short Range Communications 
                          Services licensees.
                              (iii) Testing multiple methods.--The 
                          Commission may choose to test multiple methods 
                          of sharing the 5850-5925 MHz band.
                              (iv) Considerations.--In developing the 
                          test plan under clause (i), the Commission 
                          shall consider--
                                      (I) the comments filed in response 
                                  to the public notice issued under 
                                  subparagraph (A)(i);
                                      (II) the comments filed in response 
                                  to ET Docket No. 13-49;
                                      (III) the functions currently 
                                  authorized under exclusive allocation 
                                  that could be performed by unlicensed 
                                  or shared spectrum;
                                      (IV) whether a system of priority 
                                  access could substitute for exclusive 
                                  licensing and, if so, whether the 
                                  system of priority access should be 
                                  confined to--
                                              (aa) particular portions of 
                                          the 5850-5925 MHz band; and
                                              (bb) functions critical for 
                                          dedicated short-range 
                                          communications crash avoidance;
                                      (V) whether non-exclusive licensing 
                                  or other forms of shared spectrum 
                                  access could substitute for exclusive 
                                  licensing;
                                      (VI) whether the Commission could 
                                  promulgate rules to migrate existing 
                                  licensees to an alternative band;
                                      (VII) whether, to protect critical 
                                  public safety communications, the 
                                  Commission could allow sharing in only 
                                  a portion of the 5850-5925 MHz 
                                  spectrum; and
                                      (VIII) whether shared use or a 
                                  system of priority access--
                                              (aa) causes harmful 
                                          interference to incumbent 
                                          licensees; or
                                              (bb) compromises safety-of-
                                          life uses by incumbent 
                                          licensees that are necessary 
                                          for advancing motor vehicle 
                                          safety.
                      (C) Testing; results.--Not later than 15 months 
                  after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
                  Commission, in consultation with the Department of 
                  Transportation and the NTIA, shall--
                              (i) conduct testing in accordance with the 
                          test plan developed under subparagraph (B);
                              (ii) publish a summary of the results of 
                          the testing to the docket relating to the 5850-
                          5925 MHz band; and
                              (iii) reference the results of the testing 
                          and the comments filed under subparagraph (A) 
                          in determining unlicensed device use of the 
                          5850-5925 MHz band.
                      (D) Regulations.--
                              (i) In general.--Not later than 18 months 
                          after the date of enactment of this Act--
                                      (I) if the Commission determines 
                                  that a mitigation technology, 
                                  rechannelization, or other approach 
                                  would allow unlicensed operations in 
                                  the 5850-5925 MHz band that will not 
                                  cause harmful interference to existing 
                                  licensees of that band, the Commission 
                                  shall modify part 15 of title 47, Code 
                                  of Federal Regulations, to adopt 
                                  technical rules suitable for the 
                                  widespread commercial deployment of 
                                  unlicensed operations for the 5850-5925 
                                  MHz band; or
                                      (II) if the Commission determines 
                                  that no mitigation technology, 
                                  rechannelization, or other sharing 
                                  approach would prevent unlicensed 
                                  operations in the 5850-5925 MHz band 
                                  from causing harmful interference to 
                                  existing licensees of that band, the 
                                  Commission--
                                              (aa) shall provide 
                                          notification of the 
                                          determination to--
  
                                                      (AA) Congress;
  
                                                      (BB) the Department 
                                                  of Transportation; and
  
                                                      (CC) the NTIA; and
  
                                              (bb) may not modify part 15 
                                          of title 47, Code of Federal 
                                          Regulations, to adopt technical 
                                          rules suitable for the 
                                          widespread commercial 
                                          deployment of unlicensed 
                                          operations for the 5850-5925 
                                          MHz band until the Commission 
                                          can ensure that such operations 
                                          will not cause harmful 
                                          interference to existing 
                                          licensees of that band.
                              (ii) Intelligent transportation systems.--
                          The Commission shall modify subpart M of part 
                          90 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations 
                          (relating to the Intelligent Transportation 
                          Systems radio service), and subpart L of part 
                          95 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations 
                          (relating to dedicated short-range 
                          communications service on-board units), if the 
                          Commission determines that such a modification 
                          would maximize the utility of the 5850-5925 MHz 
                          band while protecting existing licensees from 
                          harmful interference.
  
  SEC. 3. ASSESSING UNLICENSED SPECTRUM AND WI-FI USE IN LOW-INCOME 
                NEIGHBORHOODS.
  
      (a) Study.--
              (1) In general.--The Commission shall conduct a study to 
          evaluate the availability of broadband Internet access using 
          unlicensed spectrum and wireless networks in low income 
          neighborhoods.
              (2) Requirements.--In conducting the study under paragraph 
          (1), the Commission shall consider and evaluate--
                      (A) any barriers preventing or limiting the 
                  deployment and use of wireless networks in low-income 
                  neighborhoods;
                      (B) how to overcome the barriers described in 
                  subparagraph (A) through incentives, policies, or 
                  requirements that would increase the availability of 
                  unlicensed spectrum and related technologies in low-
                  income neighborhoods to increase broadband adoption by 
                  elementary and secondary school-age children in schools 
                  and at home in these communities;
                      (C) proposals that would encourage the home 
                  broadband adoption by not less than 50 percent of 
                  households with elementary and secondary school-age 
                  children that are in low income neighborhoods; and
                      (D) the availability of wireless Internet hot spots 
                  and access to unlicensed spectrum for children 
                  described in subparagraph (B).
      (b) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
  this Act, the Commission shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, 
  Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Energy 
  and Commerce of the House of Representatives a report that--
              (1) summarizes the findings of the study conducted under 
          subsection (a); and
              (2) makes recommendations with respect to the potential 
          incentives, policies, and requirements described in subsection 
          (a)(2)(B).
target: Wi-Fi Innovation Act - Requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to provide additional unlicensed spectrum in the 5850-5925 megahertz band under technical rules suitable for the widespread commercial development of unlicensed operations.  Provides for such technical rules to permit outdoor unlicensed operations without requiring devices to dynamically detect signals from other systems.  Directs the FCC's Office of Engineering and Technology to seek public comments on proposals for interference-mitigation techniques and potential rechannelization that would accommodate both incumbent licensees and widespread commercial unlicensed operations in such band.  Sets forth a process for the FCC to test mitigation measures and methods of sharing spectrum with unlicensed devices within such band in a manner that would not cause harmful interference to incumbent licensees. Directs the FCC, if it determines that existing licensees would not be harmed by interference, to modify regulations to adopt technical rules for widespread commercial deployment of unlicensed operations for such band. Prohibits modification of such regulations if the FCC determines that mitigation, rechannelization, or sharing would not prevent harmful interference. Requires the FCC to notify Congress, the Department of Transportation (DOT), and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) of a harmful interference determination. Requires the FCC to modify regulations relating to Intelligent Transportation Systems radio service and dedicated short-range communications service on-board units if such modification would maximize utility of such band while protecting existing licensees.  Directs the FCC to make recommendations to Congress regarding the availability of broadband Internet access using unlicensed spectrum and wireless networks in low income neighborhoods. 
feat_title: Wi-Fi Innovation Act