The Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005

In late December 2005, the House and Senate agreed on legislation to speed the nation’s transition to digital television while helping consumers to continue to use their analog televisions, recover spectrum for use by public safety officials and improve emergency communications, and auction off additional spectrum to reduce the national deficit. As of January 2006, the legislation, a piece of a major budget bill, awaits final approval from the House which plans to reconvene just before February. A summary of the legislation follows.