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S 941 116th Congress Senate Science, Technology, Communications Administrative law and regulatory procedures Broadcasting, cable, digital technologies Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Licensing and registrations News media and reporting Radio spectrum allocation Television and film

Section 331 Obligation Clarification Act

Introduced: March 28, 2019 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
Mar 28, 2019
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Mar 28, 2019
Introduced in Senate
 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Section 331 Obligation Clarification Act

This bill specifies that certain service obligations owed by the licensee of a commercial television broadcast station apply regardless of the broadcast frequency used by the licensee.

Specifically, the bill provides that a licensee making a change from a very high frequency (VHF) broadcast station to an ultrahigh frequency (UHF) broadcast station must ensure the change does not affect its obligation to provide service to its customers. The bill also requires such a licensee to (1) broadcast at least 14 hours of common local programming per week, (2) include a substantial amount of particularized local content, and (3) maintain a studio in the station's community.

The bill further provides for the reallocation of a station to a community where there is no VHF or UHF station.

What's happening now March 28, 2019

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

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
 Cosponsors 1
All 1 Democratic 1