Odds Now Long on Indecency Markup

ODDS NOW LONG ON INDECENCY MARKUP
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
With just a few mark-up sessions left for the Senate Commerce Committee before the November election, do not expect to see consideration of a broadcast indecency regulation bill introduced by Sen Sam Brownback (R-KS). He was hoping his stripped-down version would get committee attention. It boosts FCC indecency fines by 10-fold, to a top fine of $325,000 per incident, but without bringing station licenses into play for multiple violations or targeting performers as an already-passed House version does. The House bill also ups the fine to $500,000 per incident. Marking up the bill had been discussed among Commerce Committee top staffers last week, and Brownback supporters were confident it would make the cut, according to a source close to the legislator. But there was apparently a scheduling problem with another bill. If the bill does is not considered by the Commerce Committee, it will be discharged from the committee, which leaves up to the majority leader, Bill Frist (R-TN) to decide whether to schedule a floor vote on it or not.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6335139?display=Breaking+News

* Pro-Family Supporters Frustrated Over Stalled Broadcast Decency Bill
http://www.gopusa.com/news/2006/may/0515_decency_bill1.shtml