Steve Mehs
03-18-03, 06:42 AM
The South Carolina House of Representatives recently defeated an amendment which would have imposed a license tax on satellite TV services, a levy that would have been added to a state tax already imposed on DBS services.
The Satellite Broadcasting and Communications Association and member companies actively lobbied against the South Carolina proposal as part of an ongoing fight targeting state efforts to tax satellite TV services. The efforts will continue as the state Senate considers the legislation, the SBCA said in its weekly Report from the President.
Meanwhile, the SBCA said it's fighting a proposal before the Maryland House of Delegates and State Senate that would create mandatory energy efficiency standards for set-top boxes, among other products. If Maryland passes the legislation, DBS set-top box manufacturers would be forced to comply with two different standards, the association said.
In a letter sent to Maryland lawmakers, SBCA President Andy Wright said the satellite industry supports energy efficiency concerns, but the proposed standards "would harm more than 260,000 consumers in Maryland who receive multichannel video service via satellite.
"In addition, the proposal would have an adverse affect on the businesses of DBS set-top box manufacturers, satellite service retailers and installers in Maryland," he added.
Letters opposing the Maryland energy-efficiency also came from Hughes Network Systems, based in the same state in the Washington, D.C., suburbs. HNS is a top set-top box manufacturer for sister company DirecTV.
From SkyReport (http://www.skyreport.com/skyreport/mar2003/031803.shtm#one) (Used with Permission)
The Satellite Broadcasting and Communications Association and member companies actively lobbied against the South Carolina proposal as part of an ongoing fight targeting state efforts to tax satellite TV services. The efforts will continue as the state Senate considers the legislation, the SBCA said in its weekly Report from the President.
Meanwhile, the SBCA said it's fighting a proposal before the Maryland House of Delegates and State Senate that would create mandatory energy efficiency standards for set-top boxes, among other products. If Maryland passes the legislation, DBS set-top box manufacturers would be forced to comply with two different standards, the association said.
In a letter sent to Maryland lawmakers, SBCA President Andy Wright said the satellite industry supports energy efficiency concerns, but the proposed standards "would harm more than 260,000 consumers in Maryland who receive multichannel video service via satellite.
"In addition, the proposal would have an adverse affect on the businesses of DBS set-top box manufacturers, satellite service retailers and installers in Maryland," he added.
Letters opposing the Maryland energy-efficiency also came from Hughes Network Systems, based in the same state in the Washington, D.C., suburbs. HNS is a top set-top box manufacturer for sister company DirecTV.
From SkyReport (http://www.skyreport.com/skyreport/mar2003/031803.shtm#one) (Used with Permission)