PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Mar 8, 1999
Satellite Television Improvement Act - Amends Federal copyright law to repeal the following requirements or conditions relating to secondary transmissions of local television (TV) broadcast signals by satellite carriers: (1) the limit of such transmissions to unserved households; (2) the requirement of submitting subscriber lists to networks; (3) violation of territorial restrictions on the statutory license for network stations; (4) transitional signal intensity measurement procedures; (5) recovery of signal measurement costs in civil actions; and (6) prohibition against network stations conducting such measurements. Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to prohibit a cable system or other multichannel video programming distributor from retransmitting the signal of a broadcast TV station, except: (1) with express authority of the station; or (2) in accordance with provisions of this Act which provide for the carriage of local TV signals by satellite carriers. Provides exceptions. Requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to commence a rulemaking proceeding to revise regulations governing the exercise by TV broadcast stations of the right to grant retransmission consent to a cable system or other distributor. Requires each satellite carrier providing direct to home service of a TV broadcast station to subscribers located within the local market of such station to carry, no later than January 1, 2002, all TV broadcast stations located within that market. Requires the station to bear all costs associated with delivering a good quality signal to the designated local receive facility of the carrier. States that such carrier shall not be required to carry the signal of any local TV station that substantially duplicates the signal of another station which is secondarily transmitted by the carrier, or to carry the signals of more than one station of a particular broadcast network. Provides for: (1) channel positioning of local TV stations carried by a carrier; (2) a prohibition against the carrier charging a local TV station for such carriage, except for charges associated with good quality signals; and (3) remedies for local TV stations alleging that a satellite carrier has not complied with such requirements, with complaint determination by the FCC. Directs the FCC to commence a rulemaking to establish regulations that apply network nonduplication protection, syndicated exclusivity protection, and sports blackout protection to the retransmission of TV broadcast signals by satellite carriers to subscribers.
People & committees
Rep. Coble, Howard [R-NC-6] · R–NC
Legislative record
A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.
See H.R.1554.
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 52.
Committee on Commerce discharged.
Committee on Commerce discharged.
House Committee on Commerce Granted an extension for further consideration ending not later than April 16, 1999.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 106-86, Part I.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 106-86, Part I.
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Telecommunications, Trade, and Consumer Protection, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Chairman.
Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote.
Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts and Intellectual Property.
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Commerce, 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.
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Commerce, 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.
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Commerce, 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.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.
Source last updated: Apr 7, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
AI Conversation Starters
Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.
Analyze H.R.1027 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.
Examine H.R.1027 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.
Examine H.R.1027 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.
Examine H.R.1027 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.