[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 608 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 608

To further inform consumers about the transition to digital television.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 22, 2007

     Mr. Barton of Texas (for himself, Mr. Upton, and Mr. Hastert) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                          Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To further inform consumers about the transition to digital television.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Digital Television Consumer 
Education Act of 2007''.

SEC. 2. CONSUMER EDUCATION.

    (a) Consumer Education Requirements.--Section 330 of the 
Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 330) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (e); and
            (2) by inserting after subsection (c) the following new 
        subsection:
    ``(d) Consumer Education Requirements Regarding Analog Receivers.--
            ``(1) Requirements for retailers.--Not later than 45 days 
        after the date of enactment of the Digital Television Consumer 
        Education Act of 2007--
                    ``(A) any retail distributor that displays for sale 
                or rent any analog-only television sets shall place 
                conspicuously in the vicinity of such television sets a 
                sign containing, in clear and conspicuous print, the 
                consumer alert described in paragraph (2); and
                    ``(B) any retail distributor that offers for sale 
                or rent such television sets via direct mail, catalog, 
                or electronic means shall prominently display in the 
                vicinity of all advertisements or descriptions of such 
                television sets, in clear and conspicuous print, the 
                consumer alert described in paragraph (2).
            ``(2) Digital television transition information.--The 
        consumer alert required by this paragraph shall read as 
        follows:
                    ```consumer alert
                    ```This TV has only an analog broadcast tuner and 
                will require a converter box after February 17, 2009, 
                to receive over-the-air broadcasts with an antenna 
                because of the Nation's transition to digital 
                broadcasting. The TV should continue to work as before 
                with cable and satellite TV services, gaming consoles, 
                VCRs, DVD players, and similar products. For more 
                information, call the Federal Communications Commission 
                at 1-888-225-5322 (TTY: 1-888-835-5322) or visit the 
                Commission's digital television website at: 
                www.dtv.gov.'.
            ``(3) MVPD outreach.--During the period beginning May 1, 
        2007, and ending February 17, 2009, each multichannel video 
        programming distributor (as such term is defined in section 602 
        of this Act) shall include a notice in any monthly or other 
        periodic bill that informs consumers of--
                    ``(A) the digital television transition; and
                    ``(B) the options consumers have after the 
                transition to continue to receive broadcast 
                programming, including over the air or through a 
                multichannel video programming distribution service.
            ``(4) Broadcaster outreach.--During the period beginning on 
        May 1, 2007, and ending November 3, 2008, each full-power 
        commercial television broadcast licensee or permittee shall 
        file, at least once every 90 days, either individually or 
        jointly (such as through an association), a report with the 
        Commission indicating the steps each such licensee or permittee 
        has taken during the preceding 90 days, and any steps such 
        licensee or permittee plans to take in the 90 days following 
        the report, to inform consumers of the information described in 
        subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (3). Each such report 
        shall indicate for each such licensee or permittee the time, 
        frequency, and content of any public service announcements 
        relating to the digital television transition that it has 
        aired, or that it has not aired any.
            ``(5) Penalty.--In addition to any other civil or criminal 
        penalty provided by law, the Commission may issue civil 
        forfeitures for violations of the requirements of this 
        subsection in an amount equal to not more than 3 times the 
        amount of the forfeiture penalty established by section 
        503(b)(2)(A).
            ``(6) Sunset.--The requirements of this subsection shall 
        cease to apply on December 1, 2009.
            ``(7) Definition.--For the purposes of this subsection, the 
        term `analog-only television set' means any apparatus that--
                    ``(A) is designed to receive broadcast television 
                signals;
                    ``(B) has an integrated display screen or is sold 
                in a bundle with a display screen; and
                    ``(C) is not capable of receiving broadcast signals 
                in the digital television service.''.
    (b) Commission Outreach.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 30 days after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Federal Communications Commission 
        shall establish and maintain a digital television transition 
        public outreach program. The Commission may seek the assistance 
        of private entities, such as broadcasters, manufacturers, 
        retailers, multichannel video programming distributors, and 
        consumer groups in administering the program. The digital 
        television transition public outreach program shall educate 
        consumers about--
                    (A) the digital television transition;
                    (B) the options consumers have after the transition 
                to continue to receive broadcast programming, including 
                over the air or through a multichannel video 
                programming distribution service; and
                    (C) the converter-box program under section 3005 of 
                the Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act 
                of 2005 (47 U.S.C. 309 note).
            (2) Website.--The Commission shall maintain and publicize a 
        website, or an easily accessible page on its website, 
        containing the digital television transition public outreach 
        information required under paragraph (1), as well as any links 
        to other websites the Commission determines to be appropriate.
            (3) DTV working group on consumer outreach and 
        assistance.--
                    (A) In general.--Not later than 30 days after the 
                date of enactment of this Act, the Federal 
                Communications Commission shall establish an advisory 
                committee, to be known as the DTV Working Group, to 
                consult with State and local governments, providers of 
                low-income assistance programs, educational 
                institutions, community groups, and the National 
                Telecommunications and Information Administration to 
                promote consumer outreach and assistance regarding the 
                digital television transition and the converter-box 
                program under section 3005 of the Digital Television 
                Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005 (47 U.S.C. 309 
                note).
                    (B) Membership.--The Federal Communications 
                Commission shall invite to participate in the DTV 
                Working Group representatives of groups involved with 
                the transition to digital television, including the 
                Commission, the National Telecommunications and 
                Information Administration, other relevant Federal 
                agencies, commercial and noncommercial television 
                broadcasters, multichannel video programming 
                distributors, consumer electronics manufacturers and 
                manufacturers of peripheral devices, broadcast antenna 
                and tuner manufacturers, retail providers of consumer 
                electronics equipment, consumer groups, and public 
                interest groups (including the American Association of 
                Retired Persons and the Seniors Coalition). Members of 
                the DTV Working Group shall serve without compensation 
                and shall not be considered Federal employees by reason 
                of their service on the advisory committee.
                    (C) Purposes.--The purposes of the DTV Working 
                Group are--
                            (i) to provide ongoing advice to the 
                        Federal Communications Commission in creating 
                        and implementing the public outreach program 
                        under this subsection;
                            (ii) to advise the Commission about the 
                        procedures of the public outreach program 
                        including, at a minimum, recommended procedures 
                        for public service announcements by 
                        broadcasters, toll-free information hotlines, 
                        and retail displays or notices; and
                            (iii) to provide to the Commission regular 
                        DTV Progress Reports that reflect ongoing and 
                        planned efforts by the private sector, both 
                        nationally and in individual television 
                        broadcast markets, to inform consumers about 
                        the digital television transition.
    (c) Converter-Box Energy Standards.--Section 3005 of the Digital 
Television Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005 (47 U.S.C. 309 
note) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(e) Converter-Box Energy Standards.--
            ``(1) Energy standards.--Not later than 90 days after the 
        date of enactment of the Digital Television Consumer Education 
        Act of 2007, the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for 
        Communications and Information shall establish energy 
        consumption standards applicable to digital-to-analog converter 
        boxes (as defined in subsection (d)) in order for such boxes to 
        qualify for purchase with coupons made available under this 
        section.
            ``(2) Inapplicability.--Notwithstanding any other provision 
        of law, the standards described in paragraph (1) shall be the 
        exclusive energy consumption standards for converter boxes 
        manufactured or imported for use in the United States on and 
        after the effective date established by the Assistant Secretary 
        and until January 1, 2010.''.

SEC. 3. PROGRESS REPORTS.

    (a) During the period beginning on June 1, 2007, and ending on 
December 1, 2008, the Federal Communications Commission shall submit a 
report, not less than once every 180 days, to the Committee on Energy 
and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate. Such reports shall 
include information regarding--
            (1) the status of the Commission's international 
        coordination efforts with Canada and Mexico of the digital 
        television service table of allotments; and
            (2) the Commission's consumer education efforts, as well as 
        the consumer education efforts of broadcasters, multichannel 
        video programming distributors, consumer electronics 
        manufacturers, retailers, and consumer groups.
    (b) During the period beginning on April 1, 2008, and ending on 
October 1, 2009, the Assistant Secretary of the National 
Telecommunications and Information Administration shall submit a 
report, not less than once every 90 days, to the Committee on Energy 
and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate summarizing the 
progress of coupon distribution and redemption under Section 3005 of 
the Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005 (47 
U.S.C. 309 note), including--
            (1) the number of coupons distributed and redeemed;
            (2) the amount of time it takes for coupons to be 
        distributed and redeemed; and
            (3) the cost of the coupons and administrative costs, to 
        date.
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