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HR 4267 101th Congress House

Television Decoder Circuitry Act of 1990

Official title: To require new televisions to have built in decoder circuitry.

Introduced: March 14, 1990 See on congress.gov
Government Operations and Politics DeafHearing disordersImportsStandardsTelevision
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This bill died when the 101st Congress ended
It never became law before the 101st Congress (1989–1990) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 17 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Oct 1, 1990
Laid on the table. See S. 1974 for further action.
Oct 1, 1990
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Oct 1, 1990
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
Oct 1, 1990
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
Oct 1, 1990
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate.
Oct 1, 1990
The chair announced that a second on the motion to suspend the rules is not required.
Oct 1, 1990
Considered under suspension of the rules.
Oct 1, 1990
Mr. Markey moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
Sep 27, 1990
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 479.
Sep 27, 1990
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 101-767.
Sep 25, 1990
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Sep 25, 1990
Ordered to be Reported (Amended).
Jul 12, 1990
Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Jul 12, 1990
Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended).
Mar 21, 1990
Referred to the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Finance.
Mar 14, 1990
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Mar 14, 1990
Introduced in House
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 Latest action October 1, 1990

Laid on the table. See S. 1974 for further action.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Television Decoder Circuitry Act of 1990 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to require that any television with at least a 13-inch screen which is manufactured, or imported for use, in the United States be equipped with built-in decoder circuitry designed to display closed-captioned TV transmissions.

Prohibits shipping in interstate commerce, manufacturing, assembling, or importing any such television except pursuant to rules by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Requires such rules to provide performance and display standards for such built-in decoder circuitry.

Requires the FCC, within five years, to evaluate compatibility issues and advancement in TV technology and take any action it deems necessary to amend such rules as to ensure that such decoder chip circuitry is capable of continuing service to closed-caption consumers regardless of new broadcast technologies.

 Related & companion bills 2
  • S 1974 Related bill Television Decoder Circuitry Act of 1990
  • HR 4163 Procedurally related Television Decoder Circuitry Act of 1989
 Bill text 2 versions

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
 Cosponsors 3
All 3 Democratic 3
D
Mfume, Kweisi
Maryland · Apr 24, 1990
 D
Markey, Edward J.
Massachusetts · Mar 14, 1990
 D
Wyden, Ron
Oregon · Mar 14, 1990
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 4267: Television Decoder Circuitry Act of 1990. 101st Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/101-HR-4267/
MLA
"H.R. 4267: Television Decoder Circuitry Act of 1990." 101st Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/101-HR-4267/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 4267, 101st Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/101-HR-4267/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 4267: Television Decoder Circuitry Act of 1990](https://openamerica.io/bill/101-HR-4267/)
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