§ 58-2-128 — Development of plan for broadcasters to respond to emergency - Training program for emergency response broadcasters - Access to areas affected by emergency

(a) A state organization representing the majority of broadcasters in this state, in cooperation with the state and local emergency management agencies, may develop plans for preparing for and responding appropriately to an emergency or disaster. (b) Any state organization that represents the majority of the state's broadcasters may establish a program for training and certifying broadcast engineers and technical personnel as emergency response broadcasters. Any such program established pursuant to this subsection (b) shall: (1) Be consistent with the federal law and guidelines; (2) Provide training and education concerning restoring, repairing, and resupplying any facilities and equipment of a broadcaster in an area affected by an emergency; and (3) Provide training and education concerning the personal safety of an emergency broadcaster in an area affected by an emergency. (c) To the extent practical and consistent with not endangering public safety or inhibiting recovery efforts, state and local officers and workers and government agencies shall allow emergency response broadcasters access to an area affected by an emergency for the purpose of restoring, repairing, or resupplying any facility or equipment critical to the ability of a broadcaster to acquire, produce, and transmit essential public information programming, including, without limitation, repairing and maintaining transmitters and generators and transporting fuel for generators. (d) No emergency response broadcaster shall access an area affected by an emergency for the purpose of creating audio or video program content or transmitting information to the public.