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Regular Session, 2011
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 68
BY REPRESENTATIVE HARRISON AND SENATOR THOMPSON
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON
To memorialize the United States Congress to take such actions as are necessary to require
that satellite television providers broadcast local television stations.
WHEREAS, the satellite television industry has been a prevalent part of our society
due to the many advancements in technology; and
WHEREAS, satellite television provides consumers with a wide range of channels
and services; and
WHEREAS, local television stations are a vital and valuable source to their local
communities and surrounding areas; and
WHEREAS, some satellite television providers do not offer local stations to the local
communities; and
WHEREAS, the Satellite Home Viewer Improvement Act of 1999 (SHVIA) allowed
satellite subscribers to be able to receive local stations from their satellite television provider
using their satellite systems; and
WHEREAS, the Satellite Home Viewer Extension and Reauthorization Act of 2004
(SHVERA) expanded programming options to allow satellite television providers to offer
certain "significantly viewed" distant stations; and
WHEREAS, SHVIA and SHVERA do not require satellite television providers to
offer local stations but rather they permit satellite providers to offer "local-into-local"
service; and
WHEREAS, the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act of 2010 (STELA),
adopted as part of the American Workers, State, and Business Relief Act of 2010,
reauthorized the expiring statutory licenses that permit satellite providers to retransmit
broadcast stations to consumers and modernized and simplified the licenses, while making
adjustments that will encourage satellite providers to make more local content available; and ENROLLEDHCR NO. 68
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WHEREAS, local television stations serve their communities through public service,
local news, entertaining programming, and vital community information such as AMBER
Alerts, emergency warnings, traffic information, and severe weather alerts; and
WHEREAS, it is vital that satellite television providers are required to offer these
local television stations.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
memorialize the United States Congress to take such actions as are necessary to require that
satellite television providers broadcast local television stations.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
presiding officers of the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Congress of the
United States of America and to each member of the Louisiana congressional delegation.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATI VES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE