Skip to main content
HR 4449 105th Congress House Commerce Administrative procedure Administrative remedies Cable television Copyright Copyright infringement Copyright royalties Crime and Law Enforcement Damages Direct broadcast satellites Federal Communications Commission Fines (Penalties) Forfeiture Government Operations and Politics Government paperwork Independent regulatory commissions Injunctions Intellectual property Law Legal fees

Satellite Access to Local Stations Act

Introduced: August 6, 1998 See on congress.gov
 Everywhere this bill has been 5 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Aug 12, 1998
Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts and Intellectual Property.
Aug 6, 1998
Referred to House Commerce
Aug 6, 1998
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Aug 6, 1998
Referred to House Judiciary
Aug 6, 1998
Introduced in House
 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Satellite Access to Local Stations Act - Amends Federal copyright law to cite circumstances under which the secondary transmission by a satellite carrier of a primary transmission of a television broadcast station into the station's local market shall be subject to statutory licensing. Sets forth reporting requirements for a satellite carrier whose secondary transmissions are subject to such licensing requirements.

Precludes any royalty obligation for such secondary transmissions. States that noncompliance with such reporting requirements by a satellite carrier of a television broadcast station is actionable as an act of infringement and fully subject to copyright remedies.

Amends the Communications Act of 1934 regarding the retransmission of broadcasting station signals. Prohibits cable systems and other multichannel video programming distributors from retransmitting a broadcasting station's signal without the station's express consent. Directs the Federal Communications Commission to commence a rulemaking proceeding to revise regulations governing the exercise by television broadcast stations of the right to grant retransmission consent.

Prescribes requirements for the carriage of local television signals by satellite carriers, including: (1) carriage obligations; (2) carriage of all local television stations on contiguous channels and in a nondiscriminatory manner on any navigational device, on-screen guide, or menu; (3) compensation for carriage; and (4) remedies for failure to meet obligations.

What's happening now August 12, 1998

Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts and Intellectual Property.

 Committees of jurisdiction 3