House Passes SMART IoT Act

The House has passed, by a voice vote,  the SMART (State of Modern Application, Research, and Trends) IoT (Internet of Things) Act (H.R. 6032). Authored by Consumer Digital Commerce Subcommittee Chairman Bob Latta (R-OH) and Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT), the SMART IoT Act would direct the Secretary of Commerce to conduct a study on the state of the internet-connected devices industry. The report is to be delivered to Congress within one year. 

The legislation instructs the Sec of Commerce to 

(1) develop and conduct a survey of the internet-connected devices industry including:

(A) a list of the industry sectors that develop internet-connected devices;

(B) a list of public-private partnerships focused on promoting the adoption and use of internet-connected devices, as well as industry-based bodies, including international bodies, which have developed, or are developing, mandatory or voluntary standards for internet-connected devices;

(C) the status of the industry-based mandatory or voluntary standards identified in subparagraph (B); and

(D) a description of the ways entities or industry sectors develop, use, or promote the use of internet-connected devices;

(2) develop a comprehensive list of Federal agencies with jurisdiction over the entities and industry sectors identified under paragraph (1);

(3) identify which Federal agency or agencies listed under paragraph (2) each entity or industry sector interacts with;

(4) identify all interagency activities that are taking place among the Federal agencies listed under paragraph (2), such as working groups or other coordinated efforts;

(5) develop a brief description of the jurisdiction and expertise of the Federal agencies listed under paragraph (2) with regard to such entities and industry sectors;

(6) identify all regulations, guidelines, mandatory standards, voluntary standards, and other policies implemented by each of the Federal agencies identified under paragraph (2), as well as all guidelines, mandatory standards, voluntary standards, and other policies implemented by industry-based bodies; and

(7) identify Federal Government resources that exist for consumers and small businesses to evaluate internet-connected devices.