Legis Daily

Modern Television Act of 2019

USA116th CongressHR-3994| House 
| Updated: 8/28/2019
Steve Scalise

Steve Scalise

Republican Representative

Louisiana

Cosponsors (1)
Anna G. Eshoo (Democratic)

Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust Subcommittee, Courts, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence, and the Internet Subcommittee, Judiciary Committee, Communications and Technology Subcommittee, Energy and Commerce Committee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Modern Television Act of 2019 This bill establishes measures to prevent blackouts of television broadcast stations, including requiring good-faith negotiations in broadcast agreements and providing for outside arbitration of certain negotiation disputes. Specifically, the bill requires a station and a cable or satellite service to negotiate in good faith when attempting to reach a marketplace agreement, and it requires the cable or satellite service to retransmit the signal of a station for up to 60 days while the parties renegotiate an expired agreement. The Federal Communications Commission may require a station and a cable or satellite service to submit to binding arbitration to resolve any dispute that may arise (the parties must be retroactively paid for content aired during this time). Further, a station is prohibited from requiring payment from a cable or satellite service for customers of the cable or satellite service who do not receive the signals of the station from that service. Additionally, the bill repeals specified provisions, including those related to retransmission consent and compulsory copyright licenses. The bill also disallows federal, state, and local authorities from regulating the rates of a cable or satellite service. The Government Accountability Office must assess the impact of the bill.
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Timeline
Jul 25, 2019
Introduced in House
Jul 25, 2019
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Jul 26, 2019
Referred to the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.
Aug 28, 2019
Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet.
Aug 28, 2019
Referred to the Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial, and Administrative Law.
  • July 25, 2019
    Introduced in House


  • July 25, 2019
    Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.


  • July 26, 2019
    Referred to the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.


  • August 28, 2019
    Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet.


  • August 28, 2019
    Referred to the Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial, and Administrative Law.

Science, Technology, Communications

Administrative law and regulatory proceduresAdministrative remediesAlternative dispute resolution, mediation, arbitrationBroadcasting, cable, digital technologiesCompetition and antitrustCongressional oversightConsumer affairsContracts and agencyFederal Communications Commission (FCC)Government studies and investigationsInflation and pricesIntellectual propertyLicensing and registrationsTelecommunication rates and feesTelevision and film

Modern Television Act of 2019

USA116th CongressHR-3994| House 
| Updated: 8/28/2019
Modern Television Act of 2019 This bill establishes measures to prevent blackouts of television broadcast stations, including requiring good-faith negotiations in broadcast agreements and providing for outside arbitration of certain negotiation disputes. Specifically, the bill requires a station and a cable or satellite service to negotiate in good faith when attempting to reach a marketplace agreement, and it requires the cable or satellite service to retransmit the signal of a station for up to 60 days while the parties renegotiate an expired agreement. The Federal Communications Commission may require a station and a cable or satellite service to submit to binding arbitration to resolve any dispute that may arise (the parties must be retroactively paid for content aired during this time). Further, a station is prohibited from requiring payment from a cable or satellite service for customers of the cable or satellite service who do not receive the signals of the station from that service. Additionally, the bill repeals specified provisions, including those related to retransmission consent and compulsory copyright licenses. The bill also disallows federal, state, and local authorities from regulating the rates of a cable or satellite service. The Government Accountability Office must assess the impact of the bill.
View Full Text

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline
Jul 25, 2019
Introduced in House
Jul 25, 2019
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Jul 26, 2019
Referred to the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.
Aug 28, 2019
Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet.
Aug 28, 2019
Referred to the Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial, and Administrative Law.
  • July 25, 2019
    Introduced in House


  • July 25, 2019
    Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.


  • July 26, 2019
    Referred to the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.


  • August 28, 2019
    Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet.


  • August 28, 2019
    Referred to the Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial, and Administrative Law.
Steve Scalise

Steve Scalise

Republican Representative

Louisiana

Cosponsors (1)
Anna G. Eshoo (Democratic)

Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust Subcommittee, Courts, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence, and the Internet Subcommittee, Judiciary Committee, Communications and Technology Subcommittee, Energy and Commerce Committee

Science, Technology, Communications

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Administrative law and regulatory proceduresAdministrative remediesAlternative dispute resolution, mediation, arbitrationBroadcasting, cable, digital technologiesCompetition and antitrustCongressional oversightConsumer affairsContracts and agencyFederal Communications Commission (FCC)Government studies and investigationsInflation and pricesIntellectual propertyLicensing and registrationsTelecommunication rates and feesTelevision and film