article: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Campaign Information Improvement Act''. SEC. 2. NONPREEMPTIBLE ADVERTISING; LOWEST UNIT CHARGES. Section 315 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 315) is amended-- (1) in subsection (b)(1)-- (A) by striking ``forty-five'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``30''; (B) by striking ``sixty'' and inserting in lieu thereof ``45''; and (C) by striking ``lowest unit charge of the station for the same class and amount of time for the same period'' and insert ``lowest charge of the station for the same amount of time for the same time of day and day of week''; (2) by redesignating subsections (c) and (d) as subsections (d) and (e), respectively; (3) by inserting immediately after subsection (b) the following new subsection: ``(c)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), a licensee shall not preempt the use, during any period specified in subsection (b)(1), of a broadcasting station by a legally qualified candidate for public office who has purchased and paid for such use pursuant to the provisions of subsection (b)(1). ``(2) If a program to be broadcast by a broadcasting station is preempted because of circumstances beyond the control of the broadcasting station, any candidate advertising spot scheduled to be broadcast during that program may also be preempted.''; and (4) in subsection (d) (as redesignated by paragraph (2) of this section)-- (A) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (1); (B) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (2) and inserting ``; and''; and (C) by adding at the end thereof the following new paragraph: ``(3) a station's lowest charge for purposes of paragraph (1)-- ``(A) with respect to a primary or primary runoff election, is determined for the interval beginning 60 days before such election and ending on the date of that election; and ``(B) with respect to a general or special election, is determined for the interval beginning 90 days before such election and ending on the date of that election.''. SEC. 3. FREE BROADCAST TIME FOR POLICY DEBATES. (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 policy debates 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 for policy debates in accordance with the following standards: ``(A) Such licensee shall allot not less than 30 minutes of free broadcast time during each even-numbered year to-- ``(i) the candidates for the House of Representatives of each qualified political party for any congressional district that falls within the grade B contour of such stations signal; and ``(ii) the candidates for the Senate of each qualified political party of the State within which the preponderance of the station's audience resides. ``(B) The broadcast time allotted by any licensee shall be allotted so that-- ``(i) the broadcast is during the hours of 7 to 10 p.m. on weekdays; and ``(ii) the broadcast is during the four weeks immediately preceding election day. ``(3) A political party shall be treated as a qualified political party for purposes of paragraph (2) 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. ``(4) A licensee allots free broadcast time as required by this subsection by broadcasting the joint appearance by each of the candidates described in paragraph (2)(A) (i) or (ii) at a forum for the discussion of political issues, or, if any such candidate refuses to so appear, the appearance by the remainder of such candidates not refusing to appear. ``(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.''. (c) 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 policy debates 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 candidates, 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 who substantially fails or refuses to comply with such regulations, but such operator shall not be subject to any other sanction or remedy for such failure or refusal.''.
summary: Campaign Information Improvement Act - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to: (1) limit the cost to qualified candidates of broadcasting time for pre-election political advertising to the lowest charge of the station for the same amount of time for the same time of day and day of the week; (2) prohibit any broadcast licensee from preempting the use of any such time purchased and paid for by a qualified candidate, unless the program during which the advertisement was scheduled to appear is preempted due to circumstances beyond the control of the broadcaster; (3) reduce the pre-election period during which the lowest charge is effective from 45 days to 30 days before primary elections and from 60 days to 45 days before general or special elections; and (4) specify that for purposes of calculating a station's lowest charge, broadcasters must consider the charges made during the 60-day period prior to a primary or primary runoff election and during the 90-day period before a general or special election. Requires radio broadcasting stations, in order to have their licenses renewed, to make available without charge not less than 30 minutes of broadcast time during appropriate viewing hours to candidates for the House and Senate within the four weeks preceding election day for policy debates. Imposes the same free-time obligations on cable television operators of channels for public, educational, or governmental use.