[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4635 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4635

 To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to provide for greater access 
 to in-State television broadcast programming, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 9, 2014

 Mr. Aderholt introduced the following bill; which was 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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to provide for greater access 
 to in-State television broadcast programming, and for other purposes.

    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 ``Orphan County Telecommunications 
Rights Act of 2014''.

SEC. 2. MODIFICATION OF LOCAL TELEVISION MARKETS.

    (a) In General.--Part I of title III of the Communications Act of 
1934 (47 U.S.C. 301 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the 
following:

``SEC. 343. MODIFICATION OF LOCAL TELEVISION MARKETS.

    ``(a) In General.--The adjacent underserved county of a television 
broadcast station may file with the Commission a petition for the 
inclusion of such county in the local market of such station. Not later 
than 120 days after receiving such a petition, the Commission shall 
grant such petition by modifying the local market of such station by 
including such county in such market.
    ``(b) Multiple Markets.--The Commission may determine under 
subsection (a) that a particular county is part of the local market of 
more than one television broadcast station affiliated with the same 
television network.
    ``(c) Single Petition.--A county may request the inclusion of such 
county in the local market of more than one television broadcast 
station in a single petition filed under subsection (a).
    ``(d) Point of Contact With County.--A county that files a petition 
under subsection (a) shall designate an official or body to communicate 
with the Commission about matters relating to such petition.
    ``(e) Carriage During Pendency of Proceeding.--During the pendency 
of a proceeding on a petition under subsection (a) for the inclusion of 
a county in the local market of a television broadcast station, a 
multichannel video programming distributor may not delete from carriage 
the signal of a television broadcast station--
            ``(1) that is affiliated with the same television network; 
        and
            ``(2) the local market of which includes such county.
    ``(f) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Adjacent market.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The term `adjacent market' 
                means, with respect to a television broadcast station, 
                any designated market area adjacent to, and partially 
                but not entirely in the same State as, the designated 
                market area in which the station's community of license 
                is located.
                    ``(B) Treatment of certain counties.--In the case 
                of a county that is not within the local market or the 
                adjacent market (as defined in subparagraph (A)) of any 
                network station licensed to a community in the State in 
                which such county is located, such county shall be 
                considered to be within the adjacent market of any 
                television broadcast station licensed to a community in 
                the nearest designated market area--
                            ``(i) that is located in whole or in part 
                        within such State; and
                            ``(ii) with respect to which the community 
                        of license of at least one network station is 
                        located both in such designated market area and 
                        in such State.
            ``(2) Adjacent underserved county.--The term `adjacent 
        underserved county' means, with respect to a television 
        broadcast station, a county within the station's adjacent 
        market that is both--
                    ``(A) located in the same State as the station's 
                community of license; and
                    ``(B) not within the local market of any other 
                station that is both affiliated with the same 
                television network and located in the same State.
            ``(3) Cable operator.--The term `cable operator' has the 
        meaning given such term in section 602.
            ``(4) County.--The term `county' means a county, parish, or 
        similar political subdivision of a State of the type generally 
        used in determining the boundaries of designated market areas.
            ``(5) Designated market area.--The term `designated market 
        area' has the meaning given such term in section 122(j)(2)(C) 
        of title 17, United States Code.
            ``(6) Local market.--The term `local market' means, with 
        respect to a television broadcast station--
                    ``(A) for purposes of carriage of such station by 
                satellite carriers, the local market of such station as 
                determined under section 122(j)(2) of title 17, United 
                States Code; and
                    ``(B) for purposes of carriage of such station by 
                cable operators, the television market of such station 
                as determined under section 614(h)(1)(C).
            ``(7) Multichannel video programming distributor.--The term 
        `multichannel video programming distributor' has the meaning 
        given such term in section 602.
            ``(8) Network station.--The term `network station' has the 
        meaning given such term in section 119(d) of title 17, United 
        States Code.
            ``(9) Satellite carrier.--The term `satellite carrier' has 
        the meaning given such term in section 119(d) of title 17, 
        United States Code.
            ``(10) Television broadcast station.--The term `television 
        broadcast station' has the meaning given such term in section 
        325(b).
            ``(11) Television network.--The term `television network' 
        has the meaning given such term in section 339(d).''.
    (b) Effect for Purposes of Cable Carriage.--Section 614(h)(1)(C) of 
the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 534(h)(1)(C)) is amended--
            (1) by moving the margin of clause (iv) two ems to the 
        left; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(v) If the Commission modifies the local market 
                of a television broadcast station under section 343 by 
                including a county in such market, the Commission shall 
                include within the television market of such station 
                for purposes of this section all of the communities 
                within such county.''.
    (c) Effect for Purposes of Satellite Carriage.--Section 122(j)(2) 
of title 17, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following:
                    ``(E) Modification by fcc.--If the Federal 
                Communications Commission modifies the local market of 
                a television broadcast station under section 343 of the 
                Communications Act of 1934, such modification shall 
                modify the local market of such station as determined 
                under this paragraph.''.
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