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HR 3420 102th Congress House Government Operations and Politics Cable television Civil actions and liability Communication satellites Consumer protection Price discrimination Restrictive trade practices Television programs Television relay systems

Satellite Viewers' Rights Act of 1991

Introduced: September 26, 1991 See on congress.gov
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 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.
 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.

What's happening now July 23, 1992

For Further Action See H.R.4850.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
 Cosponsors 1
All 1 Republican 1