Children's Television Act of 1990
Latest action. See also H.R. 5835.
Children's Television Act of 1990 - Title I: Regulation of Children's Television - Requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to prescribe standards for commercial television broadcast licensees that limit the duration of advertising in programs for children to a specified number of minutes per hour. Instructs the FCC to initiate appropriate rulemaking proceedings within 30 days of this Act's enactment and to promulgate the final standards within 180 days of enactment. Authorizes modifications of the limitations after January 1, 1993, in accordance with the public interest. Directs the FCC, when reviewing any application for a television broadcast license renewal, to consider compliance with these advertising standards, as well as the licensee's programming in connection with the educational and information needs of children. Permits the FCC to consider additional efforts by the licensee to support or enhance educational and informational programming. Directs the FCC, within 180 days of this Act's enactment, to complete the proceeding known as "Revision of Programming and Commercialization Policies, Ascertainment Requirements and Program Log Requirements for Commercial Television Stations." Title II: Endowment for Children's Educational Television - National Endowment for Children's Educational Television Act of 1990 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to establish, under the direction of the Secretary of Education, a National Endowment for Children's Educational Television for the purpose of creating and producing television programming specifically directed toward the development in children of fundamental intellectual skills. Directs the Secretary, in administering the Endowment, to: (1) contract with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting for producing educational television programming for children; and (2) make grants to persons creating and producing such programming. Requires the Secretary to consult with the Advisory Council on Children's Educational Television in making such contracts or grants. Authorizes the Secretary to make contracts with, or grants to, persons using other forms of media and to apply conditions to such contracts or grants pertaining to the availability of such programming to commercial television licensees and cable system operators. Authorizes the Secretary to waive grant conditions in certain circumstances. Directs the Secretary to establish the criteria for making such contracts or grants. Outlines grant application requirements. Limits amounts authorized for such grants. Directs the Secretary to establish an Advisory Council on Children's Educational Television. Requires members appointed to have expertise in the fields of education, psychology, child development, television programming, or related disciplines. Requires each grant recipient to maintain such records as are reasonably necessary to enable the Secretary to carry out functions under this Act. Gives the Secretary and the Comptroller General access to all documents of grant recipients for auditing and examination purposes. Authorizes appropriations for FY 1991 and 1992 to carry out this Act.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Passed Senate amended" stage on September 24, 1990. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
See also H.R. 5835.
Civibrief does not map this action to a stage in the process. See the official record.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
The latest action on file does not map to a stage Civibrief recognizes, so the page will not name one. The record's own words are the reliable fact here.
The record's latest action, on November 8, 1990: See also H.R. 5835.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 101st Congress (1989-90), 650 of the 10,323 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 6.3 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one has no outstanding steps listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
JOHN BRYANT (D-TX) introduced it on April 5, 1989, and 43 members have since signed on as cosponsors.
They come from both major parties: 38 Democrats, 5 Republicans.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on April 5, 1989, 13720 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 13138 days ago, on November 8, 1990.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 101st Congress has not finished by January 3, 1991 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- HouseSee also H.R. 5835.
- SenateNot stated in the latest action
- PresidentNot stated in the latest action