Texas Congressional Opposition to Performance Tax Grows

posted on 1.21.2020

- Three More Lawmakers Sign On to LRFA

Texas Radio broadcasters got a huge boost on their biggest federal policy concern when three Lone Star State congressmen added their names to the Local Radio Freedom Act over the holidays. That brings to 20 the number of bipartisan Texas Members of Congress standing with broadcasters in opposition to the record labels’ continuing effort to force broadcasters to pay a performance royalty.

The additional royalty – characterized as a Performance Tax – would come on top of the hundreds of millions of dollars the industry already pays annually to songwriters, composers and others through groups like ASCAP, BMI, GMR, SESAC and SoundExchange.

Reps. Kevin Brady of Conroe, John Carter of Round Rock and Lance Gooden of Terrell – all Republicans – joined 17 of their Texas colleagues as co-sponsors of the resolution also known as HConRes 20.

Co-authored by Rep. Mike Conaway, R-Midland, the measure has 209 co-sponsors and needs 11 more to reach a House majority.

Texas leads the country in the number of co-sponsors and TAB continues to coordinate with member stations to press the rest of the Texas Congressional delegation to step off the sidelines.  Click here to find out if your legislators support this resolution and ask them to stand up for local Radio!

Performance Tax Introduced

Legislation allowing music labels to determine which stations may air certain songs and at what price was introduced last November in the Senate and House with bipartisan support. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., and Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-NY, filed the bill at the record labels’ behest, making no secret of its target by naming the measure “The AM-FM Act.”

Officially the “Ask Musicians for Music Act”, the RIAA’s chief lobbyist, Mitch Glazier, says it’s needed because “for far too long, AM/FM radio broadcasters have profited by using sound recordings without paying anything to their creators.” 

Questions? Contact TAB’s Oscar Rodriguez or call (512) 322-9944.

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