PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Feb 1, 1995
Communications Decency Act of 1995 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to prohibit the use of any telecommunications device (currently, only the telephone) by a person not disclosing his or her identity in order to annoy, abuse, threaten, or harass any person who receives such communication. Prohibits the repeated use of a telecommunications device solely for harassment purposes. Prohibits a person from allowing the use of any telecommunications facility (currently, telephone facility) in his or her control for such purposes. Increases: (1) the fine and maximum sentence for such violations; and (2) the fine for the transmission over a cable system of obscene or otherwise unprotected material. (Sec. 4) Amends the Federal criminal code to: (1) increase the fine for broadcasting obscene, indecent, or profane language over the radio; and (2) include digital communications in a prohibition against the interception and disclosure of various forms of communications. (Sec. 6) Prohibits a person making a toll-free telephone call from being assessed a charge for the call by being asked to connect or otherwise transfer to a pay-per-call service. (Sec. 7) Requires a cable operator, in providing video programming unsuitable for children to any subscriber through a cable system, to fully scramble or otherwise block the video and audio portion of each channel carrying such programming to ensure that one not a subscriber to such programming does not receive it. (Sec. 8) Allows a cable operator to refuse to transmit any portion of a public access program or leased access program which contains obscenity, indecency, or nudity.
People & committees
Sen. Exon, J. James [D-NE] · D–NE
Legislative record
A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce.
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1953-1954)
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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