While the AM For Every Vehicle Act gains more traction in Congress, another piece of radio legislation is also building steam this session behind the scenes. The Local Radio Freedom Act, a resolution opposing any new performance fees, taxes, royalties, or other charges on local broadcast radio stations for music airplay, has gained significant support.
The rising support for the LRFA comes as another blow to music industry groups and recording labels who argue that radio stations should pay more to artists for the music they play, as opposed to the labels themselves paying.
As of October 10, the Local Radio Freedom Act has amassed 202 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives and 24 in the Senate. While Senate support hovers around half of the votes needed to pass the LRFA, the House is only 16 votes away from a simple majority.
Representatives who have recently endorsed the LRFA include Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-OR-5), Mike Collins (R-GA-10), Donald Davis (D-NC-1), and several others. Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ-2) became the latest co-sponsor on October 6. Reps. Steve Womack (R-AR-3) and Kathy Castor (D-FL-14) are the lead co-sponsors in the House, while Sens. Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and John Barrasso (R-WY) lead in the Senate.
On the other side, the American Music Fairness Act, legislation aimed at introducing new performance fees for radio, is all but dead in the water at this point. It has only three co-sponsors in the Senate and four in the House, with the last real action on the Act taken in April.
