The Congressional Budget Office has given S. 1090, the Emergency Information Improvement Act of 2015, a clean financial bill of health (CBO “scores” legislation for its financial impact).
The legislation would make it explicit that noncommercial radio and TV stations are eligible for government assistance — grants and loans — in the wake of disasters.
Nonprofits are eligible for FEMA grants and SBA loans, but the bill would make it clear that noncom broadcasters fit that description. Given that it is just clarifying current policy, the bill would not affect spending of revenues, the budgets of state or local governments and does not represent an unfunded mandate.
