H 4426 General Bill, By Haskins, Altman, Barfield, Campsen, Davenport, 
Easterday, Hamilton, Harris, Loftis, Meacham, Sandifer, Sharpe, Simrill, 
R. Smith, Stille and W.J. Young
 A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION
 58-12-140 SO AS TO REQUIRE CABLE TELEVISION COMPANIES TO BLACKEN THE SCREEN
 AND ELIMINATE ALL SOUND WITH RESPECT TO EACH CHANNEL SUCH A COMPANY BROADCASTS
 WHICH IS SEXUALLY ORIENTED AND CONTAINS ADULT LANGUAGE AND CONTENT IN THE CASE
 OF ALL NONSUBSCRIBERS OF THESE CHANNELS AND TO PROVIDE FOR FORFEITURE OF THE
 FRANCHISE LICENSE FOR A COMPANY WHICH FAILS TO COMPLY WITH THIS SECTION.

   01/15/98  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-7
   01/15/98  House  Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and
                     Industry HJ-8
   01/21/98  House  Member(s) added as co-sponsor(s): Rep(s)
                     Easterday HJ-13

A BILL

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 58-12-140 SO AS TO REQUIRE CABLE TELEVISION COMPANIES TO BLACKEN THE SCREEN AND ELIMINATE ALL SOUND WITH RESPECT TO EACH CHANNEL SUCH A COMPANY BROADCASTS WHICH IS SEXUALLY ORIENTED AND CONTAINS ADULT LANGUAGE AND CONTENT IN THE CASE OF ALL NONSUBSCRIBERS OF THESE CHANNELS AND TO PROVIDE FOR FORFEITURE OF THE FRANCHISE LICENSE FOR A COMPANY WHICH FAILS TO COMPLY WITH THIS SECTION.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 58-12-140. Every cable television company operating in the State shall blacken the screen and eliminate all sound with respect to each channel the company broadcasts which is sexually oriented and contains adult language and content in the case of all nonsubscribers of these channels.

A cable television company which fails to comply with this section shall forfeit its franchise license for the territory in which the company failed to comply with these provisions."

SECTION 2. This act takes effect ninety days after approval by the Governor.