2005-11-30 CC Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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Telecommunications legislation will eliminate local cable franchising authority Page 2 of3 Wednesday, November 9. Unless subcommittee leadership hears objections to the provisions affecting local authority to negotiate franchises with competitive cable service providers, particularly those offered by phone companies, they intend to press forward with the current version of the bill and take action by the end of the month to recommend the legislation to the bill to the full House Commerce Committee for final House floor action. Here are the key provisions of this second draft of the staff discussion draft (dated November 3) to which cities strongly object (The first draft, which was far more acceptable to cities, was released in September): o Gives the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) authority to grant franchises to phone companies providing cable-type services in the city; o Eliminates any option to require phone companies providing such services to deploy those services throughout the city or wherever cities would now have authority to require; o Reduces the amount that cities can collect in franchise fees by changing the definition of cable service revenues to which fees can be applied; o Discontinues requirements for competitive cable entry by phone companies to provide grants or in-kind support of public, educational and government video channels and capacity; o Restricts or eliminates any authority to require additional channels or capacity, institutional networks or use of the competitive cable system for local emergency alerts; and o Restricts local control over the use of city rights-of-way and limits fees to cost reimbursement. House Members of the Minnesota Congressional Delegation District 1: Representative Gil Gutknecht (Chair of the U.S. House of Representatives Rural Telecommunications Caucus): (202) 225-2472 (Ph); (202) 225-3246 (fax) E-mail: gill@mail.house.gov District 2: Representative John Kline: (202) 225-2271 (ph); (202) 225-2595 (fax) E-mail: access through www.house.gov/kline District 3: Representative Jim Ramstad: (202) 225-2871 (ph); (202) 225-6351 (fax) E-mail: mn03@mail.house.gov District 4: Representative Betty McCollum: (202) 225-6631 (Ph); (202) 225-1968 (fax) E-mail: access through www.house.gov/writerep District 5: Representative Martin Sabo: (202) 225-4755 (PH); (202) 225-4886 (fax) E-mail: martin. sabo@mail.house.gov District 6: Representative Mark Kennedy: (202) 225-2331 (Ph); (202) 225-6475 (fax) E-mail: mark.kennedy@mail.house.gov District 7: Representative Collin Peterson: (202) 225-2165 (Ph); (202) 225-6475 (fax) E-mail: access through http://collinpeterson.house.gov 11/9/2005