[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
[S. 3663 Engrossed in Senate (ES)]
110th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3663
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To require the Federal Communications Commission to provide for a
short-term extension of the analog television broadcasting authority so
that essential public safety announcements and digital television
transition information may be provided for a short time during the
transition to digital television broadcasting.
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 ``Short-term Analog Flash and
Emergency Readiness Act''.
SEC. 2. COMMISSION ACTION REQUIRED.
(a) Program Required.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law,
the Federal Communications Commission shall, not later than January 15,
2009, develop and implement a program to encourage and permit, to the
extent technically feasible and subject to such limitations as the
Commission finds to be consistent with the public interest and the
requirements of this Act, the broadcasting in the analog television
service of only the public safety information and digital transition
information specified in subsection (b) during the 30-day period
beginning on the day after the date established by law under section
3002(b) of the Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act of
2005 for termination of all licenses for full-power television stations
in the analog television service and the cessation of broadcasting by
full-power stations in the analog television service.
(b) Information required.--The program required by subsection (a)
shall provide for the broadcast of--
(1) emergency information, including critical details
regarding the emergency, as broadcast or required to be
broadcast by full-power stations in the digital television
service;
(2) information, in both English and Spanish, and
accessible to persons with disabilities, concerning--
(A) the digital television transition, including
the fact that a transition has taken place and that
additional action is required to continue receiving
television service, including emergency notifications;
and
(B) the steps required to enable viewers to receive
such emergency information via the digital television
service and to convert to receiving digital television
service, including a phone number and Internet address
by which help with such transition may be obtained in
both English and Spanish; and
(3) such other information related to consumer education
about the digital television transition or public health and
safety or emergencies as the Commission may find to be
consistent with the public interest.
SEC. 3. LIMITATIONS.
In designing the program required by this Act, the Commission
shall--
(1) take into account market-by-market needs, based upon
factors such as channel and transmitter availability;
(2) ensure that broadcasting of the program specified in
section 2(b) will not cause harmful interference with signals
in the digital television service;
(3) not require the analog television service signals
broadcast under this Act to be retransmitted or otherwise
carried pursuant to section 325(b), 338, 339, 340, 614, or 615
of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 325(b), 338, 339,
340, 614, or 615);
(4) take into consideration broadcasters' digital power
levels and transition and coordination plans that already have
been adopted with respect to cable systems and satellite
carriers' systems;
(5) prohibit any broadcast of analog television service
signals under section 2(b) on any spectrum that is approved or
pending approval by the Commission to be used for public safety
radio services, including television channels 14-20; and
(6) not include the analog spectrum between channels 52 and
69, inclusive (between frequencies 698 and 806 megahertz,
inclusive) reclaimed from analog television broadcasting
pursuant to section 309(j) of the Communications Act of 1934
(47 U.S.C. 309(j)).
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.
As used in this Act, the term ``emergency information'' has the
meaning such term has under part 79 of the regulations of the Federal
Communications Commission (47 C.F.R. part 79).
Passed the Senate November 20, 2008.
Attest:
Secretary.
110th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3663
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To provide for the short-term partial extension of analog broadcasting.