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S 1547 106th Congress Senate

Community Broadcasters Protection Act of 1999

Official title: A bill to amend the Communications Act of 1934 to require the Federal Communications Commission to preserve low-power television stations that provide community broadcasting, and for other purposes.

Introduced: August 5, 1999 See on congress.gov
Science, Technology, Communications Administrative procedureFederal Communications CommissionGovernment Operations and PoliticsGovernment publicity
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Independent regulatory commissionsLawLicensesTelevision broadcastingTelevision frequency allocationTelevision programsTelevision stations
This bill died when the 106th Congress ended
It never became law before the 106th Congress (1999–2000) 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
Sep 8, 1999
Star Print ordered on the bill.
Aug 5, 1999
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce.
Aug 5, 1999
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S10462)
Aug 5, 1999
Introduced in Senate
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 Latest action September 8, 1999

Star Print ordered on the bill.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Community Broadcasters Protection Act of 1999 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to direct the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to prescribe regulations to establish a class A license for qualifying low-power television (LPT) stations. Requires notification of LPT licensees of the requirements for class A designation. Requires requesting licensees to submit to the FCC a certification of eligibility based on the requirements of this Act. Requires the FCC to: (1) grant such certification absent a material deficiency; and (2) act to preserve the contours of LPT stations pending final resolution of such applications. Allows an LPT station to submit an application for class A designation only within 30 days after final regulations are adopted.

Defines as a qualifying LPT station one which, during the 90 days preceding the date of enactment of this Act: (1) broadcast for at least 18 hours per day; (2) broadcast an average of at least three hours per week of programming that was produced within the market area served by such station or the market area served by a group of commonly controlled stations that carry common local or specialized programming not otherwise available to their communities; and (3) complied with other requirements applicable to LPT stations and, after the date of its license application, complies with the FCC's operating rules for full power television stations. Allows the FCC to treat non-qualifying stations as LPT stations under this Act if public interest, convenience, and necessity would be so served.

Provides that: (1) the FCC is not required to issue any additional licenses for advanced television services to the licensees of class A television stations; and (2) the FCC shall approve such license applications proposing facilities that will not cause interference to any other broadcast facility authorized on the date of the filing of the class A advanced television application.

States that nothing in this Act shall preempt Federal provisions concerning the allocation and assignment of new public safety services licenses and commercial licenses.

Prohibits the FCC from granting a class A license to an LPT station operating between 698 and 806 megahertz, but requires the FCC to provide to LPT stations assigned to and temporarily operating within such bandwidth the opportunity to meet the licensing requirements.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 1547: Community Broadcasters Protection Act of 1999. 106th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/106-S-1547/
MLA
"S. 1547: Community Broadcasters Protection Act of 1999." 106th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/106-S-1547/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 1547, 106th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/106-S-1547/.
Markdown link
[S. 1547: Community Broadcasters Protection Act of 1999](https://openamerica.io/bill/106-S-1547/)
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