118th CONGRESS 1st Session |
To direct the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study on the effectiveness of local alerting systems, and for other purposes.
April 26, 2023
Mr. Langworthy (for himself, Mr. Higgins of New York, Mr. Morelle, Mr. Fry, Mrs. Luna, Mr. Weber of Texas, and Ms. Norton) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
To direct the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study on the effectiveness of local alerting systems, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
This Act may be cited as the “Weather Alert Response and Notification Act” or the “WARN Act”.
SEC. 2. Effectiveness of local alerting systems.
(a) In general.—The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a study on the effectiveness of local alerting systems in disseminating timely and relevant information during weather-related emergencies to help communities develop better policies and procedures for emergency response and enhance public safety in the event of a weather-related emergency.
(b) Contents.—In conducting the study under subsection (a), the Comptroller General shall—
(1) evaluate the efficacy of various alert mediums, including platforms such as social media, to disseminate emergency alerts, including travel bans and mass power outages, during extreme weather events; and
(2) establish a set of best practices for such alerts.
(c) Report.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a report on the study conducted under subsection (a).