Broadcasters Protection Act of 1984

Summary

Broadcasters' Protection Act of 1984 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to declare that provisions requiring a broadcast station licensee to provide equal opportunities for station access to political candidates and prohibiting the licensee from censoring a candidate's broadcast do not require the licensee to broadcast any material the broadcast of which the licensee believes would violate any criminal law. Provides that a licensee's refusal to broadcast material based on such belief shall be a defense to any revocation action by the Federal Communications Commission and shall not be used adversely against the licensee in a comparative licensing process. Permits a broadcaster to petition any appropriate U.S. district court for a determination as to whether the broadcast of such material would violate a criminal law and for declaratory judgment relief. Allows a candidate whose broadcast is denied to petition the court for such a determination and for declaratory judgment relief with respect to such denial.

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Timeline

1. 1 February 1984

   Introduced

   Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce.

   Source: IntroReferral

2. 1 February 1984

   Introduced

   Introduced in Senate

   Source: IntroReferral

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

No version snapshots stored. Document URLs remain at the source.

Documents

1 official file

• Introduced in Senate

  summary · EN · 1 February 1984

  Open at official source

Sponsors

• Sen. Denton, Jeremiah [R-AL] · R · Sponsor
• Sen. Thurmond, Strom [R-SC] · R · Sponsor
• Sen. Cochran, Thad [R-MS] · R · Sponsor
• Sen. East, John P. [R-NC] · R · Sponsor
• Sen. Grassley, Chuck [R-IA] · R · Sponsor
• Sen. Helms, Jesse [R-NC] · R · Sponsor
• Sen. Jepsen, Roger W. [R-IA] · R · Sponsor
• Sen. Laxalt, Paul D. [R-NV] · R · Sponsor
• Sen. McClure, James A. [R-ID] · R · Sponsor
• Sen. Nickles, Don [R-OK] · R · Sponsor
• Sen. Melcher, John [D-MT] · D · Sponsor
• Sen. Symms, Steven D. [R-ID] · R · Sponsor
• Sen. Trible, Paul S., Jr. [R-VA] · R · Sponsor
• Sen. Boschwitz, Rudy [R-MN] · R · Cosponsor
• Sen. Heflin, Howell [D-AL] · D · Cosponsor
• Sen. Goldwater, Barry [R-AZ] · R · Cosponsor
• Sen. Humphrey, Gordon J. [R-NH] · R · Cosponsor
• Sen. Hatch, Orrin G. [R-UT] · R · Cosponsor
• Sen. Stevens, Ted [R-AK] · R · Cosponsor
• · sscm00 · Standing

Related records

• related to → Broadcasters Protection Act of 1984