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S 3740 110th Congress Senate Science, Technology, Communications Antennas Commerce Consumer education Consumer protection Economics and Public Finance Federal Communications Commission Government Operations and Politics Government publicity Independent regulatory commissions Law Subsidies Telephone Television broadcasting Television programs

Digital TV Transition Fairness Act

Introduced: December 11, 2008 Introduced by: Sanders, Bernard Independent · Vermont See on congress.gov
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 Everywhere this bill has been 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Dec 11, 2008
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Dec 11, 2008
Introduced in Senate
 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Digital TV Transition Fairness Act - Requires the Department of Commerce to implement and administer a program to obtain coupons that can be applied toward: (1) the cost to install a digital-to-analog converter box; (2) the purchase and installation of an indoor or outdoor antenna, or both if needed, to facilitate the reception and display of signals of channels broadcast in digital television service; and (3) the cost to install, or the cost of any other equipment needed to receive and display, basic broadcast television service.

Sets forth consumer and product eligibility criteria.

Provides for a website and telephone hotline to provide relevant information to assist consumers that have degraded or lost signals or channels as a result of the full power transition from analog to digital television that is to occur on February 17, 2009.

Requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to promulgate rules requiring that each multichannel video programming distributor providing broadcast television for a local market provide to eligible consumers in that local market access to basic broadcast television service.

Directs the FCC to carry out an education and outreach campaign to inform and educate consumers on the availability, benefits, and advantages of the programs and requirements established under this Act.

What's happening now December 11, 2008

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1