The House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday approved legislation to require radio station owners to pay new fees to the recording industry to play music on the air.

The measure was approved by a vote of 21-9 and calls for the fees to be split evenly between artists and their labels. It must still clear a full House vote and gain approval from the Senate before President Obama has a chance to sign it into law.

The measure, in its current state would require annual music fees of $500 for radio owners whose total sales are less than $100,000 per year. Stations earning less than $5 million per year would begin paying royalties three years after the bill becomes law. Stations earning more than $5 million per year would begin paying after one year.

Intellectual property law