Public Act 097-1155
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Public Act 097-1155 | ||||
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AN ACT concerning safety.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the First | ||||
Informer Broadcasters Act. | ||||
Section 5. Definitions. | ||||
"Broadcaster" means a radio broadcasting station, cable | ||||
operator, or television broadcasting station primarily engaged | ||||
in, and deriving income from, the business of facilitating | ||||
speech via over-the-air communications, both as to pure speech | ||||
and commercial speech. | ||||
"First informer broadcaster" means a person who has been | ||||
certified as a first informer broadcaster pursuant to Section | ||||
15 of this Act. | ||||
Section 10. Broadcasters. Broadcasters in this State may, | ||||
in cooperation with the Illinois Emergency Management Agency | ||||
and the Illinois Broadcasters Association, or its successor | ||||
organization, develop comprehensive, coordinated plans for | ||||
preparing for and responding appropriately to an emergency or | ||||
disaster. | ||||
Section 15. First informer broadcasters; training and |
certification. | ||
(a) Any Statewide organization, or any member of a | ||
Statewide organization, that represents broadcasters, cable | ||
television communications, or any other provider that uses | ||
emerging technologies may establish a program for training and | ||
certifying broadcast engineers and technical personnel as | ||
first informer broadcasters. Each program established pursuant | ||
to this subsection must:
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(i) be consistent with federal law and guidelines; | ||
(ii) provide training and education concerning | ||
restoring, repairing and resupplying any facilities and | ||
equipment of a broadcaster in an area affected by an | ||
emergency or disaster; and | ||
(iii) provide training and education concerning the | ||
personal safety of a first informer broadcaster in an area | ||
affected by an emergency or disaster. | ||
(b) To the extent practicable and consistent with not | ||
endangering public safety or inhibiting recovery efforts, | ||
State and local governmental agencies shall allow a first | ||
informer broadcaster access to an area affected by an emergency | ||
or disaster for the purpose of restoring, repairing, or | ||
resupplying any facility or equipment critical to the ability | ||
of a broadcaster to acquire, produce, and transmit essential | ||
emergency or disaster-related public information programming, | ||
including, without limitation, repairing and maintaining | ||
transmitters and generators, and transporting fuel for |
generators.
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Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||
becoming law.
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