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HR 4861 109th Congress House

Audio Broadcast Flag Licensing Act of 2006

Official title: To authorize the Federal Communications Commission to impose licensing conditions on digital audio radio to protect against the unauthorized distribution of transmitted content.

Introduced: March 2, 2006 See on congress.gov
Science, Technology, Communications Administrative procedureBroadbandCommerceCopyright
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Direct broadcast satellitesFederal Communications CommissionGovernment Operations and PoliticsIndependent regulatory commissionsIntellectual propertyLawLicensesRadioRadio broadcastingRadio programsTelecommunication industry
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This bill died when the 109th Congress ended
It never became law before the 109th Congress (2005–2006) 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 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Mar 17, 2006
Referred to the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet.
Mar 2, 2006
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Mar 2, 2006
Introduced in House
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 Latest action March 17, 2006

Referred to the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Audio Broadcast Flag Licensing Act of 2006 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to authorize the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to require and enforce, in conjunction with the in-band, on-channel technical standard for digital audio broadcast transmissions under consideration, that: (1) all technologies necessary to make transmission and reception devices compliant with such standard are licensed on reasonable and nondiscriminatory terms; (2) such licenses include prohibitions against unauthorized copying and redistribution of transmitted content through the use of a broadcast flag or similar technology; and (3) FCC licensees providing digital audio broadcast service comply with such prohibitions. Mandates the same requirements with respect to FCC regulation of satellite digital audio radio services (SDARS) pursuant to FCC rules. Provides limitations with respect to the adoption of any digital audio regulations.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
 Cosponsors 3
All 3 Republican 1
Davis, Lincoln
· Mar 14, 2006
 R
Blackburn, Marsha
Tennessee · Mar 2, 2006
GORDON, BART
· Mar 2, 2006
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 4861: Audio Broadcast Flag Licensing Act of 2006. 109th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/109-HR-4861/
MLA
"H.R. 4861: Audio Broadcast Flag Licensing Act of 2006." 109th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/109-HR-4861/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 4861, 109th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/109-HR-4861/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 4861: Audio Broadcast Flag Licensing Act of 2006](https://openamerica.io/bill/109-HR-4861/)
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