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Congress·In Committee·S. 328

Congress Proposes Requiring Cable and Satellite Companies to Refund Customers During Channel Blackouts

Stop Sports Blackouts Act

about 1 year ago·View on Congress.gov
⏸

Stalled

No legislative action in over 90 days.

Legislative Progress

Senate
House
President
Law

Key Points

  • This bill aims to protect TV subscribers from paying for channels they cannot watch. It focuses on 'blackouts,' which happen when cable or satellite companies and TV stations cannot agree on a contract, causing certain channels to disappear from your lineup.
  • If passed, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) would have 90 days to create new rules. These rules would force cable and satellite companies to give customers a partial refund or 'rebate' for every day a promised channel is missing due to these contract fights.
  • The policy covers both local broadcast stations and other cable channels. It ensures that if a company promised you a specific set of channels when you signed up or renewed your plan, they must pay you back if they stop providing them during a negotiation.
  • This matters because sports fans and regular TV viewers often lose access to big games or favorite shows for weeks or months while companies argue over money. Currently, most customers still have to pay their full monthly bill even when several channels are missing.
  • The FCC would be responsible for deciding exactly how much money customers should get back. This would likely be based on how many channels are gone and how long the blackout lasts.
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Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

Broader Impacts

Score
Scores: -5 (harmful) to +5 (beneficial)Short-term: 0-2 yearsLong-term: 10-30 years

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions
Jan 30, 2025Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Jan 30, 2025

Introduced in Senate

Related Bills

1 bill
H.R. 888Related bill

Stop Sports Blackouts Act of 2025

Jan 31 — Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

Stop Sports Blackouts Act

Bill NumberS 328
Congress119th Congress
ChamberSenate
Latest ActionRead twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Sponsor

Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.