BILL ANALYSIS
SB 2012
Page 1
SENATE THIRD READING
SB 2012 (Speier)
As Amended August 25, 2000
2/3 vote
SENATE VOTE :31-6
UTILITIES & COMMERCE 10-0 APPROPRIATIONS 20-0
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|Ayes:|Wright, Pescetti, |Ayes:|Migden, Campbell, |
| |Calderon, Cardenas, | |Ackerman, Alquist, |
| |Frusetta, Maddox, | |Aroner, Ashburn, Brewer, |
| |Mazzoni, Reyes, Vincent, | |Cedillo, Corbett, Davis, |
| |Wesson | |Kuehl, Maldonado, Papan, |
| | | |Romero, Shelley, Thomson, |
| | | |Wesson , Wiggins, Wright, |
| | | |Zettel |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------|
| | | | |
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SUMMARY : Appropriates $5 million to the Office of Emergency
Services (OES) for matching fund grants to public television and
radio stations to install digital broadcasting equipment, and
requires stations receiving funding to dedicate an emergency
broadcast channel.
EXISTING FEDERAL LAW requires all television stations to convert
their broadcast signal from analog to digital by 2003.
FISCAL EFFECT : One-time $5 million General Fund appropriation.
(The 2000-01 Budget Act appropriated $5 million to assist public
television stations convert to digital.)
COMMENTS : Federal Mandate: Pursuant to the Telecommunications
Act of 1996, the Federal Communications Commission requires that
public television stations change their broadcast signal from an
analog signal to a digital signal by 2003. Commercial
television stations are required to convert to digital by an
earlier date. While the federal mandate only pertains to the
television signal broadcast function, and not the television
signal production function, this bill provides matching grant
funding for both. According to the author, public television
broadcasters foresee a need to digitalize the production
function in order to take full advantage of the digital
SB 2012
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broadcast signal.
Digital Television: Conversion to digital broadcasting will
provide numerous benefits, including a clearer picture, CD
quality audio, interactive features, and increased transmission
capacity. Digital conversion provides television stations with
the capacity to simulcast four separate television channels and
two data channels over the digital television spectrum assigned
to each station.
Cost of Digital Conversion: There are 14 public television
stations and 23 public radio stations in California. The total
estimated digital conversion costs for California's public
television and radio stations-including both the broadcast and
production functions-is $140 million. This bill provides $5
million in matching grants to public television and radio
stations, with 75% allocated to television stations and 25% to
radio stations. Fifty percent the funds in each pool is divided
equally among the stations in that grant pool. The remaining
50% of the funds in each grant pool is divided among stations in
proportion to their non-federal financial support. Funds are
provided on a matching basis, with each station required to
raise from other sources an amount equal to the funds provided
to it under this bill.
2000-2001 Budget: The Budget Act of 2000-2001 appropriated $5
million to assist public television stations convert to digital.
This bill appropriates an additional $5 million for television
and radio stations.
OES and Emergency Information: Conversion to digital
broadcasting creates additional broadcast capacity. A digital
signal can be broadcast in a variety of ways, including four
regular-quality signals or one high-quality signal. In order to
receive funding under this bill, public broadcasting stations
are required to enter into permanent agreements with OES to
dedicate, as necessary, a broadcast channel for the provision of
emergency information in a form accessible to the deaf,
hearing-impaired, and non-English speaking populations.
Numerous local sheriff's departments have indicated support for
this bill, which they assert will play an important role in
expanding emergency broadcast capabilities and increasing their
ability to reach everyone in the community.
SB 2012
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Analysis Prepared by : Joseph Lyons / U. & C. / (916) 319-2083
FN: 0006552