DIGIT Act

Developing Innovation and Growing the Internet of Things Act or the DIGIT Act

This bill requires the Department of Commerce to convene a working group of federal stakeholders to provide recommendations regarding the Internet of Things (IoT), and it establishes a steering committee composed of stakeholders outside the federal government to advise the working group. The IoT is a system of interrelated devices connected to a network and each other that exchange data without requiring human interaction (e.g., smart home devices, medical monitoring devices, and wearable fitness trackers).

The working group must (1) identify federal laws and regulations, grant practices, budgetary or jurisdictional challenges, and other sector-specific policies that affect IoT development; (2) consider policies or programs that encourage and improve coordination among federal agencies with relevant responsibilities; (3) consider implementing recommendations from the steering committee; (4) examine how federal agencies can benefit from, use, prepare for, and secure the IoT; and (5) consult with nongovernmental stakeholders.

The steering committee must advise the working group about laws, budgets, individual privacy, security, small business challenges, and any international proceedings or negotiations affecting the IoT.

Lastly, the Federal Communications Commission must (1) seek public comment on the IoT's spectrum needs, regulatory barriers, and growth with licensed and unlicensed spectrum; and (2) submit a summary of those comments to Congress.