[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 19 (Monday, January 29, 2001)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 8090-8091]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-2439]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 0

[FCC 00-450]


Formalized Structure and Responsibilities of the Local and State 
Government Advisory Committee

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This document formalizes the structure and responsibilities of 
the Local and State Government Advisory Committee (LSGAC). The LSGAC 
currently is comprised of 15 elected and appointed officers of 
municipal, county, state, and tribal governments.

DATES: Effective January 29, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Emily Hoffnar, FCC Liaison to the 
LSGAC, Common Carrier Bureau, (202) 418-1500.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of a Commission's Order 
released on January 8, 2001. The full text of this document is 
available for public inspection during regular business hours in the 
FCC Reference Center, Room CY-A257, 445 Twelfth Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20554.
    1. In this Order, we formalize the structure and responsibilities 
of the Local and State Government Advisory Committee (LSGAC) by 
adopting a new Subpart G, Sec. 0.701 of the Commission's rules. The 
LSGAC currently is comprised of 15 elected and appointed officers of 
municipal, county, state, and tribal governments. Since its inception 
in 1997, the LSGAC has provided advice and information to the 
Commission on key issues relevant to the LSGAC, including public 
rights-of-way, facilities siting, universal service, removal of 
barriers to competitive entry, public safety communications, and 
various issues regarding implementation of the Telecommunications Act 
of 1996. Meetings held between the LSGAC and the Commission concern the 
management or implementation of Commission programs that explicitly or 
inherently share intergovernmental responsibilities or administration 
with local, county, state, or tribal governments.
    2. We expect the LSGAC will continue to facilitate 
intergovernmental communication between local and state governments and 
the Commission. We therefore believe it is appropriate to recognize in 
our rules the important role that the LSGAC plays and to formalize its 
structure and duties. The new rules therefore specify the number of 
LSGAC members, as well as membership categories, to ensure that the 
LSGAC continues to reflect a diverse representation of municipal, 
county, state and tribal governments. Consistent with its current 
structure, the new rules states that there shall be 15 members of the 
LSGAC, comprised as follows: six elected municipal officials (city 
mayors and city council members); three elected county officials 
(county commissioners or council members); one elected or appointed 
local government attorney; one elected state executive (governor or 
lieutenant governor); two elected state legislators; one elected or 
appointed public utilities or public service commissioner, and one 
elected or appointed Native American tribal representative. The LSGAC 
members shall select two members, a Chair and

[[Page 8091]]

Vice Chair, to serve as leaders of the Committee. In the event of 
vacancies, the Chairman of the Commission shall seek nominations 
through issuance of a Public Notice and shall appoint new members to 
the LSGAC. At his discretion, the Chairman may replace LSGAC members 
using this same appointment process.
    3. To ensure the continued effectiveness of the LSGAC, members of 
the LSGAC are required to attend a minimum of fifty percent of the 
meetings held yearly. Failure to meet this attendance requirement will 
result in loss of membership in the LSGAC, subject to the discretion of 
the LSGAC chair. Vacancies resulting from failure to meet the 
attendance requirement will be filled through the nomination process 
described.
    4. Members of the LSGAC are responsible for travel and other 
incidental expenses incurred while on LSGAC business and shall not be 
reimbursed for such expenses by the Commission.
    5. The rule adopted herein is a rule of agency organization, 
procedure and practice, and the notice and comment and effective date 
provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act are therefore 
inapplicable. See 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(A), (d). Pursuant to sections 
4(i), 4(j), and 303(r) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 
47 U.S.C. 154(i), 154(j), and 303(r), Subpart G, Sec. 0.701 of the 
Rules and Regulations of the Federal Communications Commission, 47 CFR 
0.701, is adopted as set forth, to be effective January 29, 2001.

List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 0

    Freedom of information, Government publications, Organization and 
functions, Sunshine Act.

Federal Communications Commission.
Magalie Roman Salas,
Secretary.

Rule Change

    For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Federal 
Communications Commission amends 47 CFR part 0 as follows:

PART 0--COMMISSION ORGANIZATION

    1. The authority citation for part 0 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: Sec. 5, 48 Stat. 1068, as amended; 47 U.S.C. 155, 
225, unless otherwise noted.

    2. In part 0, add a new subpart G, section 0.701 to read as 
follows:

Subpart G--Intergovernmental Communication


Sec. 0.701  Local and State Government Advisory Committee.

    The Local and State Government Advisory Committee (LSGAC) will 
facilitate intergovernmental communication between local municipal, 
county, state and tribal governments and the Federal Communications 
Commission. The LSGAC shall be comprised of 15 members (or their 
designated employees) as follows: six elected municipal officials (city 
mayors and city council members); three elected county officials 
(county commissioners or council members); one elected or appointed 
local government attorney; one elected state executive (governor or 
lieutenant governor); two elected state legislators; one elected or 
appointed public utilities or public service commissioner, and one 
elected or appointed Native American tribal representative. The LSGAC 
members shall select two members, a Chair and Vice Chair, to serve as 
leaders of the Committee. Vacancies to on the LSGAC shall be filled 
through a nomination process initiated by Public Notice and 
appointments shall be made by the Chairman of the Federal 
Communications Commission. At his discretion, the Chairman may replace 
LSGAC members using this same appointment process. Members of the LSGAC 
are required to attend a minimum of fifty percent of the yearly 
meetings. Failure to meet this attendance requirement will result in 
loss of membership in the LSGAC, subject to the discretion of the LSGAC 
chair. Members of the LSGAC are responsible for travel and other 
incidental expenses incurred while on LSGAC business and shall not be 
reimbursed for such expenses by the Commission. Pursuant to section 
204(b) of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995, 2 U.S.C. 1534(b), 
the LSGAC is not subject to, and is not required to follow, the 
procedures set forth in the Federal Advisory Committee Act. 5 U.S.C., 
App. 2 (1988).

[FR Doc. 01-2439 Filed 1-26-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P