article: 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.''.
summary: 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.