This bill became law on 2026-10-15. Its Public Law number has not been assigned yet.
The summary below describes the bill at the version we last reviewed; the enacted text may differ.
YourVoice.Now Summary
Your MoneyCivil LibertiesCorporate BenefitsTransparency & AccountabilityEmergency alerts will be able to reach your phone by satellite — at no extra charge, if your carrier opts in.
Your Money
Carriers can choose to send emergency alerts through satellites, not just cell towers. Once the FCC’s rules take effect, that can get a warning to your phone when towers are down or you are out of range.
A carrier that sends satellite alerts cannot bill you a separate fee for them. It also cannot charge you for the ability to receive them.
The FCC’s rules must keep satellite alerts from getting in the way of other calls and data as much as possible. The law names 911 calls in particular.
Civil Liberties
You can already turn off some types of alerts on your phone. If you have, your carrier must keep those alerts off your phone when they come by satellite too.
A carrier that follows these rules cannot be sued by you for giving your account details to police, fire, or emergency crews. This covers only details used to send an alert.
Corporate Benefits
Customers cannot sue a carrier that follows the rules over a satellite alert that came late, came wrong, or never came. The shield also covers the company’s staff, vendors, and agents.
A carrier that decides not to send satellite alerts cannot be sued for that choice alone. It must still tell its customers about the choice.
Transparency & Accountability
If your carrier decides not to send satellite alerts, it must tell both new and existing customers. Carriers must make that choice within 60 days after the FCC’s rules take effect.
More about this bill
Emergency alerts on your phone will be able to reach you by satellite, not just through cell towers. That matters most when a storm or outage knocks towers out, or when you are out of range. The law was signed on October 22, 2026. Carriers that already send alerts and sell satellite phone service must choose whether to take part. If your carrier opts out, it must tell you. If it opts in, it cannot charge you extra. Alert types you have turned off stay off by satellite too. Carriers that take part and follow the rules are shielded from customer lawsuits. You cannot sue over a missed or faulty satellite alert. You also cannot sue over your account details going to police or emergency crews to send an alert. The FCC must write the rules by April 2028. Those rules must limit how much alerts get in the way of 911 calls. Satellite alerts cannot start until at least three years after the rules come out.
Congressional Summary
Congress's official summary of this bill still describes an earlier version of the text, so we have left it out here. You can read it on Congress.gov.
Legislative Subjects
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- House
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Public Law
- Action Date
- 2026-10-22
- Date Added
- 2026-04-16
- Source
- Congress.gov →
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