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HR 137 112th Congress House Science, Technology, Communications Broadcasting, cable, digital technologies Political advertising

Fairness in Political Advertising Act of 2011

Introduced: January 5, 2011 Introduced by: Kaptur, Marcy Democratic · Ohio See on congress.gov
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This bill died when the 112th Congress ended
It never became law before the 112th Congress (2011–2012) 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
Feb 1, 2011
Referred to the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.
Jan 5, 2011
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Jan 5, 2011
Introduced in House
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Fairness in Political Advertising Act of 2011 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to require each licensee for a television broadcasting station to make available free broadcast time in each even-numbered year for political advertising. Provides standards for time allotment, including total time to be allotted, the length of each unit of such free time, the hours of the day and the time of the year in which such free time must be allowed, a limitation on such free time, and the use of such free time. Requires candidates meeting certain minimum qualifying standards to be treated equally for purposes of such allotment.

Provides that nothing in this Act shall restrict a candidate's right to purchase other broadcast time on such station.

Requires a cable operator to make available annually free cable time for political advertising under similar requirements.

Prohibits the renewal of the license of any television broadcast station licensee, or the franchise of any cable operator, that fails to comply with such requirements.

What's happening now February 1, 2011

Referred to the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 137: Fairness in Political Advertising Act of 2011. 112th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/112-HR-137/
MLA
"H.R. 137: Fairness in Political Advertising Act of 2011." 112th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/112-HR-137/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 137, 112th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/112-HR-137/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 137: Fairness in Political Advertising Act of 2011](https://openamerica.io/bill/112-HR-137/)
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