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HR 3420 102th Congress House

Satellite Viewers' Rights Act of 1991

Official title: To improve the access of home satellite antenna users to video programming, and for other purposes.

Introduced: November 22, 1991 See on congress.gov
Government Operations and Politics Cable televisionCivil actions and liabilityCommunication satellitesConsumer protection
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
Price discriminationRestrictive trade practicesTelevision programsTelevision relay systems
This bill died when the 102nd Congress ended
It never became law before the 102nd Congress (1991–1992) 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 4 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jul 23, 1992
For Further Action See H.R.4850.
Oct 4, 1991
Referred to the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Finance.
Sep 26, 1991
Introduced in House
Sep 26, 1991
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
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 Latest action July 23, 1992

For Further Action See H.R.4850.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Satellite Viewers' Rights Act of 1991 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to repeal provisions requiring the Federal Communications Commission to initiate an inquiry concerning the need for a universal encryption standard that permits decryption of satellite cable programming intended for private viewing.

Requires that any person who encrypts satellite delivered programming make such programming available for private viewing by home satellite antenna users and, when making such programming available through any other person for distribution through any medium, establish: (1) reasonable and non-discriminatory financial, character, technical, and service criteria and requirements under which non-cable distributors qualify to distribute such programming for private viewing by home satellite antenna users; and (2) price, terms, and conditions for the wholesale distribution of such programming which do not discriminate between the distribution of such programming to distributors for cable subscribers and distributors to home satellite antenna users, nor among different distributors to home satellite antenna users, with exceptions.

Specifies that, where a person who encrypts satellite delivered programming: (1) has established a separate subsidiary for distribution to satellite antenna users, such person shall not be required to establish or license any entity on the same terms and conditions as such subsidiary (but permits an aggrieved party, for purposes of any claim of discrimination under this provision, to compare the prices, terms, and conditions established by the person who encrypts as evidence of discrimination); and (2) authorizes or licenses a distributor for a secondary satellite retransmission of such programming, such person shall establish criteria (consistent with requirements under this Act) to qualify to distribute such programming through such retransmission and establish nondiscriminatory price, terms, and conditions for such distribution.

Specifies that nothing in this Act shall require any person who encrypts satellite delivered programming to: (1) authorize or license any distributor for a secondary satellite retransmission; and (2) make such programming available in any geographic area beyond which such programming has been authorized or licensed for distribution.

Authorizes: (1) persons aggrieved by violations of this Act to bring a civil action; and (2) the court to grant specified relief.

 Related & companion bills 1
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 3420: Satellite Viewers' Rights Act of 1991. 102nd Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/102-HR-3420/
MLA
"H.R. 3420: Satellite Viewers' Rights Act of 1991." 102nd Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/102-HR-3420/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 3420, 102nd Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/102-HR-3420/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 3420: Satellite Viewers' Rights Act of 1991](https://openamerica.io/bill/102-HR-3420/)
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