Stop Sports Blackouts Act

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.

  1. Introduced
  2. Committee
  3. Passed Senate
  4. Passed House
  5. To President
  6. Became law
Sponsor Sen. Murphy, Christopher [D-CT] Introduced January 30, 2025 Cosponsors 0 Latest action January 30, 2025

Summary

Stop Sports Blackouts Act
This bill requires cable and satellite broadcast providers to issue rebates to customers who are denied access to video programming included in their subscription because of programming negotiations. 
Specifically, where a provider’s negotiations related to the retransmission or carriage of video programming result in the provider failing to offer access to programming included in a customer’s subscription, the customer must be issued a rebate for the affected period. The Federal Communications Commission is directed to issue rules to this effect, including to establish the appropriate amount for such a rebate.  

Summary by the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.

Congress.gov

Actions

  1. Jan 30, 2025 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
  2. Jan 30, 2025 Introduced in Senate

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