Public Telecommunications Financing Act of 1978

Summary

Public Telecommunications Financing Act - Title I: Construction and Planning of Facilities - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to establish new procedures for the planning and construction of public telecommunications facilities. Sets forth new requirements for the application to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting for construction grants. Authorizes the Secretary of Commerce, upon approving an application with respect to any project for the construction of public telecommunications facilities, to make a grant of up to 75 percent of the cost of such project. Authorizes the Secretary to provide such funds as the Secretary deems necessary for the planning of such projects. Provides for the repayment of such grants if the recipient station ceases to be used for public radio or television purposes. Requires the Secretary, in consultation with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, to establish criteria for making construction and planning grants. Requires the Secretary to develop a long-range plan to: (1) extend delivery of public telecommunications services to as many citizens of the United States as possible; (2) increase public telecommunications services and facilities available to and owned by minorities and women; and (3) strengthen the capability of existing public television and radio stations to provide educational and cultural services to the public. Title II: Telecommunications Demonstrations - States that a purpose of this Act is to promote the development of nonbroadcast telecommunications facilities and services for the transmission, distribution, and delivery of health, education, and public or social service information. Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to carry out telecommunications demonstrations. Authorizes the Secretary to approve an application for such demonstrations if it is determined that: (1) the project will demonstrate innovative methods in nonbroadcast telecommunications equipment or facilities; and (2) the facilities and equipment acquired or developed pursuant to the application will be used substantially for the transmission, distribution, and delivery of health, education, or public or social service information. Defines "nonbroadcast telecommunications facilities" to include, but not be limited to, cable television systems, communications satellite systems and related terminal equipment, and other methods of transmitting, emitting, or receiving images and sounds or intelligence by means of wire, radio, optical, electromagnetic or other means. Title III: Corporation for Public Broadcasting - Directs the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to study the manner in which the personal services of volunteers should be included in determining the level of non-Federal financial support received by the Corporation. Authorizes appropriations to the Public Broadcasting Fund for fiscal years 1978 through 1983. Directs the Corporation to establish an annual budget according to which it shall make grants and contracts for production of public television or radio programs by independent production entities and public telecommunications entities, for acquisition of such programs by public telecommunications entities, for interconnection facilities and operations, for distribution of funds among noncommercial telecommunications entities, for provision of assistance to public telecommunications entities to improve management and train personnel, for engineering and program-related research, and for the enhancement of instructional and educational television and radio services. Requires funds for television and radio stations to be distributed to such stations in accordance with eligibility criteria that promote the public interest in public broadcasting, and on the basis of criteria designed to: (1) encourage innovative approaches to reaching new audiences; (2) encourage cost efficiencies; and (3) encourage programs to train women and minorities to increase their participation in public broadcasting. Requires any public broadcast station desiring to receive funds to establish a community advisory board. Stipulates that the role of such board shall be solely advisory in nature, except to the extent other responsibilities are delegated to such board by the governing body of such station. Requires the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to develop a system to be used by all public broadcast licensees receiving funds under this Act to account for all funds received and expended for public broadcasting purposes. Requires equal opportunity in employment to be afforded to all qualified persons by all public telecommunications entities receiving funds under this Act. Title IV: General Provisions - Defines terms used in this Act and amends existing definitions to conform to the amendments made by this Act to the Communications Act of 1934. Stipulates that no public telecommunications entity may support or oppose any candidate for political office.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

1. 8 May 1978

   Introduced

   Referred to House Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce.

   Source: IntroReferral

2. 8 May 1978

   Introduced

   Introduced in House

   Source: IntroReferral

3. 8 May 1978

   Introduced

   Introduced in House

   Source: IntroReferral

4. 15 May 1978

   Reported

   Reported to House from the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce with amendment, H. Rept. 95-1178.

   Source: Committee

5. 15 May 1978

   Reported

   Reported to House from the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce with amendment, H. Rept. 95-1178.

   Source: Committee

6. 10 July 1978

   Passed

   Measure passed House, amended.

   Source: Floor

7. 10 July 1978

   Passed

   Passed/agreed to in House: Measure passed House, amended.

   Source: Floor

8. 10 July 1978

   Floor

   Measure called up under motion to suspend rules and pass in House.

   Source: Floor

9. 11 July 1978

   Calendars

   Placed on calendar in Senate.

   Source: Calendars

10. 19 September 1978

    ResolvingDifferences

    Conference scheduled in Senate.

    Source: ResolvingDifferences

11. 19 September 1978

    Floor

    Call of calendar in Senate.

    Source: Floor

12. 19 September 1978

    Passed

    Passed/agreed to in Senate: Measure passed Senate, amended, in lieu of S. 2883.

    Source: Floor

13. 25 September 1978

    ResolvingDifferences

    Conference scheduled in House.

    Source: ResolvingDifferences

14. 12 October 1978

    ResolvingDifferences

    Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 95-1774.

    Source: ResolvingDifferences

15. 12 October 1978

    ResolvingDifferences

    Conference report filed: Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 95-1774.

    Source: ResolvingDifferences

16. 13 October 1978

    Passed

    House agreed to conference report.

    Source: ResolvingDifferences

17. 13 October 1978

    Passed

    Conference report agreed to in House: House agreed to conference report.

    Source: ResolvingDifferences

18. 14 October 1978

    Passed

    Senate agreed to conference report.

    Source: ResolvingDifferences

19. 14 October 1978

    Passed

    Conference report agreed to in Senate: Senate agreed to conference report.

    Source: ResolvingDifferences

20. 15 October 1978

    President

    Measure enrolled in Senate.

    Source: President

21. 15 October 1978

    President

    Measure enrolled in House.

    Source: President

22. 24 October 1978

    Floor

    Measure presented to President.

    Source: Floor

23. 24 October 1978

    President

    Measure presented to President.

    Source: President

24. 2 November 1978

    President

    Public Law 95-567.

    Source: President

25. 2 November 1978

    Became law

    Signed by President.

    Source: BecameLaw

26. 2 November 1978

    President

    Signed by President.

    Source: President

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

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

Documents

3 official files

• Public Law (PDF)

  Public Law · EN · 3 November 1978

  ViewDownloadOpen at official source

• Conference report filed in House

  summary · EN · 12 October 1978

  Open at official source

• Introduced in House

  summary · EN · 8 May 1978

  Open at official source

Sponsors

• Rep. Van Deerlin, Lionel [D-CA-42] · D · Sponsor
• Rep. Frey, Lou, Jr. [R-FL-9] · R · Cosponsor
• Rep. Carney, Charles J. [D-OH-19] · D · Cosponsor
• Rep. Wirth, Timothy [D-CO-2] · D · Cosponsor
• Rep. Russo, Martin A. [D-IL-3] · D · Cosponsor
• Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA] · D · Cosponsor
• Sen. Gore, Albert, Jr. [D-TN] · D · Cosponsor
• Sen. Mikulski, Barbara A. [D-MD] · D · Cosponsor
• Rep. Waxman, Henry A. [D-CA-24] · D · Cosponsor
• Rep. Moore, W. Henson [R-LA-6] · R · Cosponsor
• Rep. Moorhead, Carlos J. [R-CA-22] · R · Cosponsor
• Rep. Marks, Marc L. [R-PA-24] · R · Cosponsor
• · hsif00 · Standing

Related records

• related to ← Public Telecommunications Financing Act