FCC Suspends Comment Cycle on Talton's Prison-Calling Waiver
The FCC on Thursday suspended the comment deadlines on a petition by Talton seeking a waiver of the commission’s rules capping the rates for audio and video for incarcerated people provided to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “We find good cause to suspend the deadlines to file comments and reply comments addressing Talton’s Petition pending Commission review of the merits of Talton’s request for confidential treatment,” the Wireline Bureau said (docket 23-62).
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On April 10, public interest groups, led by the United Church of Christ Media Justice Ministry, objected to Talton’s request for confidential treatment. “At a bare minimum, the nature of the waiver being requested cannot be a proprietary matter,” the groups said: “If the Commission were to grant it, the terms of the waiver -- such as the rates permitted pursuant to a waiver -- must be public.”
Interested parties shouldn’t “be forced to sign a protective order to submit comments,” the groups said. “Signing a protective order is a serious commitment and not all organizations or individuals impacted by the requested waiver are able to maintain the specific requirements of such an order.” Others signing the filing included the American Civil Liberties Union, the Electronic Privacy Information Center, the National Consumer Law Center, the National Immigrant Justice Center and the Prison Policy Initiative.