Children's Protection from Violent Programming Act

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Never voted on. It didn't reach a floor vote before the 108th Congress ended, so it expired. A bill has to be introduced again to be considered in a new Congress.

D BacaSponsor

4 cosponsors · 2 D, 2 R

2 signed on when it was introduced; the rest joined later. Cosponsors who withdrew aren't shown.

What it does: CRS summary · Introduced in House · Mar 9, 2004

Children's Protection from Violent Programming Act - Directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to assess the effectiveness of measures to require television broadcasters and multichannel video programming distributors to rate and encode programming that could be blocked by parents by use of a V-chip. Authorizes the FCC, if it finds such measures ineffective, to prohibit the distribution of violent video programming during hours when children are reasonably likely to comprise a substantial portion of the audience.

Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to make it unlawful for any person to distribute to the public any violent video programming not blockable by electronic means specifically on the basis of its violent content. Provides for exemptions for: (1) programming (including news programs and sporting events) the distribution of which does not conflict with the objective of protecting children from the negative influences of violent video programming; and (2) premium and pay-per-view direct-to-home satellite programming.

Directs the FCC to impose a forfeiture penalty for violations and to revoke a broadcasting or distribution license of a repeat violator.

Requires the FCC to continue to study and report annually to specified committees on the marketing to children of violent content by the motion picture, music recording, and computer and video game industries.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov

About this bill and sources

Official title: Children's Protection from Violent Programming Act

Latest action (Mar 11, 2004): Referred to the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet.

Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications · Origin: House · Introduced: Mar 9, 2004

Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)

No recorded floor vote found.