I 108th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 4024 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 24, 2004 Mr. Paul introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce A BILL To amend the Communications Act of 1934 with respect to retransmission consent and must-carry for cable operators and satellite carriers.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the &short-title1;.

2.

Retransmission consent

Section 325(b) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 325(b)) is amended— (1)by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following: (b) (1)No cable system or other multichannel video programming distributor shall retransmit the signal of a broadcasting station, or any part thereof, except with the express authority of the station.; (2)in paragraph (3)— (A)in subparagraph (A), by striking and of the right to signal carriage under section 614; (B)in subparagraph (B), by striking and the right to signal carriage under section 614; and (C)by adding at the end the following: (C)Within 45 days after the effective date of the &short-title1;, the Commission shall commence a rulemaking proceeding to revise the regulations governing the exercise by television broadcast stations of the right to grant retransmission consent under this subsection. Such regulations shall establish election time periods that correspond with those regulations adopted under subparagraph (B). The rulemaking shall be completed within 180 days after the effective date of the &short-title1;.; and (3)by striking paragraphs (4) and (5) and redesignating paragraph (6) as paragraph (4).

3.

Elimination of must-carry requirements

(a)

Report

Sections 338, 614, and 615 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 338, 534, and 535) are repealed. (b)

Conforming amendments

(1)Section 623(b)(7)(A) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 543(b)(7)(A)) is amended by striking clause (i) and redesignating clauses (ii) and (iii) as clauses (i) and (ii). (2)Section 635 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 555) is amended by striking subsection (c). (3)Section 653 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 573) is amended— (A)in subsection (b)(1)(A), by striking 614, or 615,; and (B)in subsection (c)(1)(B), by striking sections 611, 614, and 615 and inserting section 611. (4)Section 336(b)(3) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 336(b)(3)) is amended by striking have any rights to carriage under section 614 or 615 or.

4.

Termination of mandates for television features and functions

All regulations of the Federal Communications Commission requiring television receivers sold in the United States to include particular types of features or functions, or specifying the technology to be used to provide such features or functions, shall cease to be effective on the date of enactment of this Act.

5.

Effective date

This Act and the amendments made by this Act shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act.