WASHINGTON, D.C.– A streamlined version of a House bill to increase fines for broadcast indecency tenfold was marked up by a subcommittee panel and and sent to the full Commerce Committee.
Expect many amendments to be offered once the bill is debated as early as next week.
Some amendments will call for revocation of station licenses for repeat offenders; others will call for even larger fines than the $275,000 maximum, including a forfeiture based on a percentage of station revenue.
Other lawmakers may want to slap the fines on the media company that owns the property.
Veteran Hill legal sources are already warning that lawmakers must steer a clear course so that a final bill’s tough provisions don’t also abridge first- amendment free speech rights.
