Wicker 'Pretty Close' to Circulating Draft STELA Renewal Bill

Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., is “pretty close” to finalizing a draft Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act reauthorization bill, with an eye to bringing it up for a November committee markup. “I would hope we'd move very quickly” to bring a STELA bill up for Senate Commerce consideration, Wicker told us, confirming others' expectations (see 1910220058). The committee examined STELA last week, its hearing focused partly on whether there's an appetite to renew the statute for a term shorter than the traditional five years (see 1910230053). Wicker said his Tuesday meeting with Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass. (see 1910290064) increased his interest in inserting language from the Truth-in-Billing, Remedies and User Empowerment over Fees (True Fees) Act in a recertification package. S-510/HR-1220 would let customers end contracts with providers without early termination fees if the provider increases prices, and would prevent equipment fee increases unless providers improve the devices (see 1902140045). “We all want to get to the same result” to increase “transparency and the most information possible to the consumer,” Wicker said.