[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 26 (Thursday, February 7, 2019)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 2461-2462]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-01056]
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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
47 CFR Part 1
[DA 18-1272]
Annual Adjustment of Civil Monetary Penalties To Reflect
Inflation
AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.
ACTION: Final rule.
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SUMMARY: The Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act
Improvements Act of 2015 (Inflation Adjustment Act) requires the
Federal Communications Commission to amend its forfeiture penalty rules
to reflect annual adjustments for inflation in order to improve their
effectiveness and maintain their deterrent effect. The Inflation
Adjustment Act provides that the new penalty levels shall apply to
penalties assessed after the effective date of the increase, including
when the penalties whose associated violation predate the increase.
DATES: The rule is effective February 7, 2019. The civil monetary
penalties are applicable beginning January 15, 2019.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lisa S. Gelb, Deputy Chief,
Enforcement Bureau, 202-418-2019.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Commission's Order,
DA 18-1272, adopted and released on December 19, 2018. The document is
available for download at https://www.fcc.gov/document/annual-adjustment-civil-monetary-penalties-reflect-inflation. The complete
text of this document is also available for inspection and copying
during normal business hours in the FCC Reference Information Center,
Portals II, 445 12th Street SW, Room CY-A257, Washington, DC 20554.
The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 included, as Section 701 thereto,
the Inflation Adjustment Act, which amended the Federal Civil Penalties
Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990 (Pub. L. 101-410), to improve the
effectiveness of civil monetary penalties and maintain their deterrent
effect. Under the Inflation Adjustment Act, agencies are required to
make annual inflationary adjustments by January 15 each year, beginning
in 2017. The adjustments are calculated pursuant to Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) guidance. OMB issued guidance on December
14, 2018, and this Order follows that guidance. The Commission
therefore updates the civil monetary penalties for 2019, to reflect an
annual inflation adjustment based on the
[[Page 2462]]
percent change between each published October's CPI-U; in this case,
October 2018 CPI-U (252.885)/October 2017 CPI-U (246.663) = 1.02522.
The Commission multiplies 1.02522 by the most recent penalty amount and
then rounds the result to the nearest dollar.
Paperwork Reduction Act
This document does not contain new or modified information
collection requirements subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(PRA), Public Law 104-13. It does not contain any new or modified
information collection burden for small business concerns with fewer
than 25 employees, pursuant to the Small Business Paperwork Relief Act
of 2002, Public Law 107-198, see 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(4).
Congressional Review Act
The Commission will send a copy of this Order to Congress and the
Government Accountability Office pursuant to the Congressional Review
Act, see 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A).
List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 1
Administrative practice and procedure, Penalties.
Federal Communications Commission.
Lisa S. Gelb,
Deputy Chief, Enforcement Bureau.
Final Rules
For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Federal
Communications Commission amends 47 CFR part 1 as follows:
PART 1--PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE
0
1. The authority citation for part 1 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 47 U.S.C. chs. 2, 5, 9, 13; Sec. 102(c), Div. P,
Public Law 115-141, 132 Stat. 1084; 28 U.S.C. 2461, unless otherwise
noted.
0
2. Section 1.80 is amended by revising the table in Section III of the
note to paragraph (b)(8) and paragraph (b)(9)(ii) to read as follows:
Sec. 1.80 Forfeiture proceedings.
(b) * * *
(8) * * *
Note to paragraph (b)(8) * * *
Section III * * *
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Statutory amount after 2019
Violation annual inflation adjustment
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Sec. 202(c) Common Carrier $12,081, $604/day.
Discrimination.
Sec. 203(e) Common Carrier Tariffs..... $12,081, 604/day.
Sec. 205(b) Common Carrier $24,160.
Prescriptions.
Sec. 214(d) Common Carrier Line $2,415/day.
Extensions.
Sec. 219(b) Common Carrier Reports..... $2,415/day.
Sec. 220(d) Common Carrier Records & $12,081/day.
Accounts.
Sec. 223(b) Dial-a-Porn................ $125,190/day.
Sec. 227(e) Caller Identification...... $11,562/violation,
$34,686/day for each day of
continuing violation, up to
$1,156,242 for any single act
or failure to act.
Sec. 364(a) Forfeitures (Ships)........ $10,067/day (owner).
Sec. 364(b) Forfeitures (Ships)........ $2,014 (vessel master).
Sec. 386(a) Forfeitures (Ships)........ $10,067/day (owner).
Sec. 386(b) Forfeitures (Ships)........ $2,014 (vessel master).
Sec. 634 Cable EEO..................... $892/day.
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(9) * * *
(ii) The application of the annual inflation adjustment required by
the foregoing Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act
Improvements Act of 2015 results in the following adjusted statutory
maximum forfeitures authorized by the Communications Act:
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Maximum
penalty after
U.S. code citation 2019 annual
inflation
adjustment
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47 U.S.C. 202(c)........................................ $12,081
604
47 U.S.C. 203(e)........................................ 12,081
604
47 U.S.C. 205(b)........................................ 24,160
47 U.S.C. 214(d)........................................ 2,415
47 U.S.C. 219(b)........................................ 2,415
47 U.S.C. 220(d)........................................ 12,081
47 U.S.C. 223(b)........................................ 125,190
47 U.S.C. 227(e)........................................ 11,562
34,686
1,156,242
47 U.S.C. 362(a)........................................ 10,067
47 U.S.C. 362(b)........................................ 2,014
47 U.S.C. 386(a)........................................ 10,067
47 U.S.C. 386(b)........................................ 2,014
47 U.S.C. 503(b)(2)(A).................................. 50,334
503,349
47 U.S.C. 503(b)(2)(B).................................. 201,340
2,013,399
47 U.S.C. 503(b)(2)(C).................................. 407,270
3,759,410
47 U.S.C. 503(b)(2)(D).................................. 20,134
151,005
47 U.S.C. 503(b)(2)(F).................................. 115,624
1,156,242
47 U.S.C. 507(a)........................................ 1,994
47 U.S.C. 507(b)........................................ 292
47 U.S.C. 554........................................... 892
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[FR Doc. 2019-01056 Filed 2-6-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P