HF 2656 (LSB 6071YH (5) 90)

HOUSE FILE 2656

BY  SCHOLTEN

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to professional sporting league broadcasting blackouts.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  477A.13  Professional sports league —— broadcasting blackout prohibition.
   1.  For purposes of this section, “blackout” means the nonairing of a cable, video, or satellite professional sporting league event broadcast on a local broadcast station.
   2.  For purposes of this section, “sports broadcasting entity” means and includes all of the following:
   a.  An internet-based streaming platform that allows for the live viewing of professional sporting league event broadcasts.
   b.  A person providing cable service or video service in this state.
   3.  For purposes of this section, “professional sporting league” means and includes the national football league, major league baseball, national hockey league, and national basketball association.
   4.  A sports broadcasting entity shall be prohibited from preventing professional sporting league event broadcasting through a blackout to paying customers of the sports broadcasting entity, unless the professional sports team seeking the blackout plays at least one game in the state of Iowa during the season in which the professional sports team is seeking the blackout.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill relates to professional sporting league broadcasting blackouts.
   The bill defines “blackout” to mean the nonairing of a cable, video, or satellite professional sporting league event that is broadcast on a local broadcast station. The bill defines “sports broadcasting entity” to mean and include specified internet-based streaming platforms and a person providing cable service or video service in Iowa. The bill prohibits a sports broadcasting entity from preventing professional sporting league event broadcasting through a blackout to paying customers, unless the professional sporting league team seeking the blackout plays at least one game in the state of Iowa during the season in which the professional sporting league team is seeking the blackout.