The Standard FEES Act would amend section 6409 of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 to create a uniform federal fee schedule for processing certain applications and forms related to placing communications facilities on federally owned buildings and other federal property. The bill directs the Administrator of General Services to establish the fee schedule, and requires executive agencies to adopt corresponding fees and any approved exceptions by regulation.
The fee schedule must be based on an agency’s direct processing costs and must be competitively neutral. The bill also allows exceptions in limited circumstances, including when justified by public benefit, when granting easements, rights-of-way, leases, or contracts for communications facility placement, and when doing so would help expand broadband internet access service. Fees collected could only be used to cover processing costs, subject to appropriations, and the new fee authority would supersede other statutory fees for the same processing activities. The bill sets deadlines of 30 days for GSA to issue the schedule and 120 days thereafter for agencies to conform their regulations.
Impact
If enacted, the bill would change federal law governing how agencies charge for reviewing applications to place communications equipment on federal property, replacing a patchwork of agency-specific or other statutory fees with a standardized fee structure. It would affect the General Services Administration, executive agencies that manage federal buildings or property, and telecommunications providers or other applicants seeking access for communications facilities. The bill is designed to streamline review and reduce inconsistency while preserving cost recovery for agencies.
Sentiment
The available record shows no committee transcript or vote data, so there is no direct evidence of debate or opposition in the materials provided. The bill’s reported status from the Committee on Energy and Commerce suggests it advanced through committee, which may indicate at least some support for its streamlining and broadband-deployment goals. Overall, the measure appears framed as a technical, pro-efficiency bill rather than a highly partisan one.
Contention
The main potential points of contention are likely to be the scope of federal fee preemption, the degree of discretion given to the Administrator of General Services and executive agencies, and whether the exceptions are broad enough to support broadband deployment without undermining uniformity. Agencies may be concerned about losing flexibility to set fees tied to their own processes, while communications providers may favor the bill’s standardization and limits on fees. Any debate would likely center on balancing cost recovery, competitiveness, and faster deployment of broadband infrastructure on federal property.
An act to amend Sections 65585, 65589.5, and 65940.1 of, and to add Section 65941.2 to, the Government Code, relating to housing. An act to amend Section 214 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, relating to taxation, to take effect immediately, tax levy.