HB 1574 Protecting Dissenting Viewpoints and Voices Act of 2017

About HB-1574

Protecting Dissenting Viewpoints and Voices Act of 2017 This bill amends the Communications Act of 1934 to prohibit the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from using the viewpoints that a person broadcasts or otherwise disseminates on issues of public importance as a basis for:

• (1) revoking the person's licenses or authorizations;
• (2) taking action against the person; or
• (3) placing conditions on the FCC's approval of the assignment or transfer of a station license or construction permit or the construction, extension, acquisition, operation, or discontinuation of a communications line

The bill also prohibits the President from directing an agency to take actions against a person, or to condition agency approvals, based on a person's broadcasted or disseminated viewpoints. Nothing in this bill affects the authority of the FCC or the President to take action against violations concerning the broadcast of:

• (1) obscene or indecent language, fraudulent schemes, or lottery information; or
• (2) content constituting incitement under the First Amendment

The FCC may continue to enforce broadcast requirements that:

• (1) permit candidates to federal elective office to purchase reasonable broadcast time,
• (2) allow equal broadcast opportunities for all candidates for public office, and
• (3) require disclosures of paid broadcasts

The President may continue to direct agencies to take actions to execute the President's legal duties.