I

104TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. R. 3096

To mandate the use of instant replay in the event of conflicting calls in

a professional sports league game played in the United States.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

MARCH 14, 1996

Mr. JACOBS (for himself and Mr. BURTON of Indiana) introduced the

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Commerce

A BILL

To mandate the use of instant replay in the event of conflicting calls in a professional sports league game played

in the United States.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as ‘‘The What-Really-Hap5 pened Act of 1996’’.

6 SEC. 2. MANDATORY INSTANT REPLAY.

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—In a professional sports league

8 game played in the United States, the head referee, or

9 another referee designated by the league, shall—
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1 (1) in the event of conflicting calls, review in2 stant replay to determine the correct call; and

3 (2) enforce the call determined to be correct

4 under paragraph (1).

5 (b) LEAGUE DUTY.—It shall be the duty of a profes6 sional sports league to make instant replay available to

7 the head referee or the designate.

8 SEC. 3. ENFORCEMENT.

9 (a) FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION.—The Federal

10 Trade Commission shall have the power to examine and

11 investigate a professional sports league to determine

12 whether such league has been or is engaged in any act

13 or practice prohibited by this Act.

14 (b) RELIEF.—If the Federal Trade Commission de15 termines a professional sports league has been or is en16 gaged in any act or practice prohibited by this Act, the

17 Commission may take action against such league by the

18 issuance of a cease and desist order as if the league was

19 in violation of section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission

20 Act.

21 SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

22 As used in this Act—

23 (1) the term ‘‘conflicting calls’’ means an occa24 sion when 2 or more referees make different calls re25 garding a given action of a player;
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1 (2) the term ‘‘call’’ means a decision, made dur2 ing a game by a referee, concerning the permissibil3 ity of a player’s action under the rules of the profes4 sional sports league;

5 (3) the term ‘‘instant replay’’ means a video

6 record which may be viewed immediately after the

7 event which gave rise to the conflicting calls;

8 (4) the term ‘‘referee’’ means an official ap9 pointed to decide, to rule on plays, or to supervise

10 the conduct of a professional sports game;

11 (5) the term ‘‘head referee’’ means a referee

12 who has the final authority as referee;

13 (6) the term ‘‘professional sports league’’ means

14 an association—

15 (A) whose teams compete in football, bas16 ketball, baseball, or hockey;

17 (B) whose teams have been engaged in

18 competition in such sports for more than 7

19 years;

20 (C) which is composed of 20 or more pro21 fessional sports teams;

22 (D) which has adopted, accepted, or put

23 into effect rules for the conduct of the profes24 sional sports teams which are members of that

25 association and for the regulation of contests
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1 and exhibitions in which such teams engage;

2 and

3 (E) which earns annual gross revenues ex4 ceeding $500,000,000 (adjusted annually for in5 flation); and

6 (7) the term ‘‘professional sports team’’ means

7 any group of professional athletes organized to play

8 a sport in a professional sports league.

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