text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Political Broadcasting Access Act of 
  1993''.
  
  SEC. 2. ALLOCATION TO POLITICAL PARTIES OF FREE BROADCAST TIME FOR 
                POLITICAL ADVERTISING.
  
      (a) Condition of License Renewal.--Section 309(h) of the 
  Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 309(h)) is amended by inserting 
  before the period at the end thereof the following: ``; and (4) every 
  broadcast station license issued under this Act shall be subject to the 
  free broadcast time obligations imposed by section 315(c)''.
      (b) Free-Time Obligations.--Section 315 of the Communications Act 
  of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 315) is amended--
              (1) by redesignating subsections (c) and (d) as subsections 
          (d) and (e), respectively; and
              (2) by inserting after subsection (b) the following new 
          subsection:
      ``(c)(1) Each license for a broadcasting station shall annually 
  make available free broadcast time for political advertising in 
  accordance with the requirements of this subsection. The Commission 
  shall not renew the license of any licensee who substantially fails or 
  refuses to comply with the requirements of this subsection, but such 
  licensee shall not be subject to any other sanction or remedy for such 
  failure or refusal.
      ``(2) A licensee subject to this subsection shall allot free 
  broadcast time to each qualified political party in accordance with the 
  following standards:
              ``(A) Such licensee shall allot an equal amount, but not 
          less than 2 hours, of free broadcast time annually to--
                      ``(i) the national organization of each qualified 
                  political party; and
                      ``(ii) the State organization of each qualified 
                  political party of the State within which the 
                  preponderance of the station's audience resides.
              ``(B) The 2 or more hours of free broadcast time allotted 
          to any organization under subparagraph (A) shall be composed of 
          units of varying lengths of not more than 5 minutes nor less 
          than 10 seconds, as determined by negotiation between such 
          organization and the licensee.
              ``(C) The broadcast time allotted by any licensee shall be 
          allotted so that--
                      ``(i) at least one-half is broadcast during the 
                  hours of 7 to 10 p.m. on weekdays;
                      ``(ii) during any even numbered year, at least two-
                  thirds is broadcast during the two months immediately 
                  preceding election day and at least one-half is 
                  broadcast during the three weeks immediately preceding 
                  election day;
                      ``(iii) each national organization of a qualified 
                  political party is allotted free broadcast time that is 
                  comparable, by time of day and day of week, to the time 
                  allotted to other such national organizations, and each 
                  State organization of a qualified political party is 
                  allotted free broadcast time that is comparable, by 
                  time of day and day of week, to the time allotted to 
                  other such State organizations.
      ``(3) A political party shall be treated as a qualified political 
  party for purposes of paragraph (2)(A) if the candidate for President 
  of such party in the most recent presidential election received more 
  than 5 percent of the total number of votes cast by individuals for 
  that office, except that, in the case of any political party whose 
  candidate (as described in subparagraph (A) or (B)) received less than 
  33\1/3\ percent of such total votes, the amount of free broadcast time 
  required to be allotted under clause (i) or (ii) of paragraph (2)(A) 
  shall be reduced by 0.4 hours for each percent of such vote received 
  that is less than 33\1/3\ percent.
      ``(4) A licensee allots free broadcast time as required by this 
  subsection by broadcasting the statements, presentations, 
  announcements, or other sounds or visual images requested to be 
  broadcast by a political organization without remuneration or 
  compensation in any form, whether by public or private funds, tax 
  deduction or credit, or otherwise.
      ``(5) Nothing in this subsection, and no use of free broadcast time 
  allotted under this subsection, shall be construed to restrict or 
  otherwise affect the purchase of advertising time under subsection (b) 
  of this section.''.
  
  SEC. 3. FREE CABLE TIME.
  
      Section 611 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 531) is 
  amended--
              (1) by redesignating subsection (f) as subsection (g); and
              (2) by inserting after subsection (e) the following new 
          subsection:
      ``(f) A cable operator shall annually make available free cable 
  time for political advertising in accordance with the requirements of 
  regulations prescribed by the Commission. Such regulations shall, to 
  the extent practicable, require each such cable operator to provide 
  such free cable time in the same amounts and manner, to the same 
  eligible political organizations, and subject to the same conditions as 
  free broadcast time is required to be provided by broadcast station 
  licensees under section 315(c) of this Act. No franchise authority 
  shall renew the franchise of any cable operator that fails  to comply 
  with such regulations, but such operator shall not be subject to any 
  other sanction or remedy for such failure or refusal.''.
target: Political Broadcasting Access Act of 1993 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to require each licensee for a broadcasting station to make available annually free broadcast time for political advertising.  Provides standards for time allotment, including total time to be allotted, the length of each unit of such free time, and the hours of the day and the time of the year in which such free time must be allowed.  Requires national political parties meeting certain minimum qualifying standards to be treated equally for purposes of such allotment. 
  Provides that nothing in this Act shall restrict a candidate's or party's right to purchase other broadcast time on such station. 
  Requires a cable operator to make available annually free cable time for political advertising under similar requirements.  Prohibits the renewal of a franchise of any cable operator that fails to comply with such requirements.
feat_title: Political Broadcasting Access Act of 1993