Children's Television Act of 1989
Latest action. subcommitteeA smaller panel inside a standing committee with jurisdiction over a slice of its subject matter. Most hearings and the first markup usually happen here.Read the full definition (opens a new tab) on Communications. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 101-221.
Children's Television Act of 1989 - Requires the Federal Communications Commission 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 150 days of enactment. Authorizes modifications of the standards after January 1, 1993, if FCC review and public comments demonstrate that the public interest would be served by the changes. 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.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in Senate" stage on April 5, 1989. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on July 12, 1989: Subcommittee on Communications. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 101-221.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the Senate
- Passage by the House
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
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 is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, 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?
HOWARD METZENBAUM (D-OH) introduced it on April 5, 1989, and 1 member has since signed on as a cosponsor.
They are 1 Democrat.
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 13622 days ago, on July 12, 1989.
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
- SenateIn committee, no floor vote yet
- HouseAwaits Senate passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers