DTV Transition Assistance Act
Public Law 110-295 · S. 2607 · 110th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by George W. Bush (R) on Jul 30, 2008 · Science, Technology, Communications
Sponsor: Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME)
Cosponsors (4): Sen. Ted Stevens, Sen. Maria Cantwell,
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
DTV Transition Assistance Act - Amends the Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005 (title III of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005) with respect to the low-power television and translator digital-to-analog conversion program.
Requires the Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information of the Department of Commerce to determine whether the full amounts provided from the Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Fund will be needed for payments to eligible low-power TV stations toward purchase of a digital-to-analog conversion device to convert the incoming digital signal of their corresponding full-power TV station to analog format transmission on the low-power TV station's analog channel. Permits the Secretary to make adjustments to such determination from time to time.
Authorizes the Assistant Secretary, if such full amounts are not needed, to use the remaining amount for consumer education and technical assistance regarding the digital television (DTV) transition and the availability of the digital-to-analog converter box program (in addition to any pre-existing amounts expended for such purpose). Allows the use of such funds for partnering with, providing grants to, and contracting with non-profit organizations or public interest groups in achieving these efforts.
Requires the Assistant Secretary, if such education program is initiated, to develop a plan to address the educational and technical assistance needs of vulnerable populations, such as senior citizens, individuals residing in rural and remote areas, and minorities, including, where appropriate, education plans focusing on the need for analog pass-through digital converter boxes in areas served by low-power or translator stations. Requires the Assistant Secretary also to consider the speed with which these objectives can be accomplished to the greatest public benefit.
Amends the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 to extend through FY2012 the requirement for the Assistant Secretary to make payments from the Fund to implement a program to reimburse each licensee of an eligible low-power television station for equipment to upgrade low-power television stations from analog to digital in eligible rural communities.
Requires such reimbursements to be issued to eligible stations on or after February 18, 2009 (currently, no earlier than October 1, 2010).
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Related bills
1 bill the Library of Congress relates to this one.
H.R. 5696Identical bill
To make a technical correction to section 3009 of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005.
Data notes
Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 20 actions.
- Jul 30, 2008Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 110-295.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Jul 22, 2008FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- Jul 9, 2008FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 2607.
- FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Hill moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- OtherOther · Cleared for White House.
- Jun 20, 2008FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- FloorFloor · Received in the House.
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- Jun 19, 2008FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- Jun 10, 2008CalendarCalendar · Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 774.
- CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Inouye without amendment. With written report No. 110-348.
- Apr 24, 2008CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
- Feb 7, 2008CommitteeCommittee · Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- CommitteeCommittee · Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S790)
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in Senate
Data notes
Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.
Amendments
1 amendment offered to the bill, with the last recorded step of each.
- Agreed to
S.Amdt. 5014SenateSen. Daniel InouyeD-HI· offered Jun 19, 2008Agreed to
In the nature of a substitute.
Jun 19, 2008: Amendment SA 5014 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
Data notes
Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.
Official record
The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.