H.R. 888

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 888 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 888

To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to direct the Federal 
Communications Commission to promulgate regulations with respect to 
rebates for certain video programming blackouts, and for other 
purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 31, 2025

Mr. Ryan (for himself, Mrs. McIver, Mr. Carson, and Ms. Norton) 
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to direct the Federal 
Communications Commission to promulgate regulations with respect to 
rebates for certain video programming blackouts, 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 ``Stop Sports Blackouts Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. REBATES FOR VIDEO PROGRAMMING BLACKOUTS.

Title VII of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) 
is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 723. REBATES FOR VIDEO PROGRAMMING BLACKOUTS.

``(a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
enactment of this section, the Commission shall promulgate 
regulations--
``(1) to require a provider to issue to a subscriber of 
such provider a rebate with respect to any period during which 
the provider denies such subscriber, as a result of a covered 
negotiation, access to video programming that such provider 
agreed, at the time of subscription entry or renewal (as the 
case may be), to provide to such subscriber during such period; 
and
``(2) to establish the appropriate amount of a rebate 
issued under paragraph (1).
``(b) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Covered negotiation.--The term `covered negotiation' 
means a negotiation with respect to--
``(A) retransmission consent of a television 
broadcast station under section 325(b); or
``(B) carriage of video programming of an entity 
that is not a television broadcast station.
``(2) Provider.--The term `provider' means either of the 
following:
``(A) A cable operator (as defined in section 602).
``(B) A provider of direct broadcast satellite 
service (as defined in section 335(b)(5)).
``(3) Television broadcast station.--The term `television 
broadcast station' has the meaning given such term in section 
325(b)(7).
``(4) Video programming.--The term `video programming' has 
the meaning given such term in section 602.''.
<all>