Title: Don't Block LGBTQ Act of 2017
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
Don't Block LGBTQ Act of 2017
This bill amends the Communications Act of 1934 to prohibit elementary schools, secondary schools, or libraries that receive discount rates for telecommunications services under the universal service support program from blocking Internet access to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer resources.
The bill does not prohibit schools or libraries from blocking content that is obscene, child pornography, or harmful to minors.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4098 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4098

    To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to prohibit schools and 
libraries that receive universal service support from blocking Internet 
access to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer resources, and 
                          for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 23, 2017

 Mr. Schneider (for himself, Mr. Carbajal, Mr. Cicilline, Mr. Gallego, 
Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Lowenthal, Mr. Sean Patrick Maloney of New York, Ms. 
    Norton, Mr. Pocan, Mr. Quigley, and Mr. Takano) introduced the 
   following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
                                Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to prohibit schools and 
libraries that receive universal service support from blocking Internet 
access to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer resources, and 
                          for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Don't Block LGBTQ Act of 2017''.

SEC. 2. ACCESS TO LGBTQ RESOURCES UNDER UNIVERSAL SERVICE SCHOOLS AND 
              LIBRARIES PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Section 254(h) of the Communications Act of 1934 
(47 U.S.C. 254(h)) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraph (7) as paragraph (8);
            (2) by inserting after paragraph (6) the following:
            ``(7) Access to lgbtq resources.--Notwithstanding 
        subsection (l)(2), an elementary school, secondary school, or 
        library may not receive services at discount rates under 
        paragraph (1)(B) if such school or library (under an internet 
        safety policy with respect to which certification is required 
        under this subsection or otherwise) blocks internet access to 
        lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer resources.''; 
        and
            (3) in paragraph (8) (as redesignated), by adding at the 
        end the following:
                    ``(J) Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and 
                queer resources.--The term `lesbian, gay, bisexual, 
                transgender, and queer resources' means information 
                that is related to homosexuality, bisexuality, 
                transgender identity, transgender status, gender 
                nonconformity, gender expansive, gender identity, 
                sexual orientation, or related topics, except that such 
                term does not include a visual depiction described in 
                paragraph (5)(B)(i) or (6)(B)(i).''.
    (b) Conforming Amendments to Communications Act of 1934.--
            (1) Section 254.--Section 254(h)(4) of the Communications 
        Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 254(h)(4)) is amended by striking 
        ``paragraph (7)(A)'' and inserting ``paragraph (8)(A)''.
            (2) Section 271.--Section 271(g)(2) of the Communications 
        Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 271(g)(2)) is amended by striking 
        ``section 254(h)(5)'' and inserting ``section 254(h)(8)''.
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