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S5641Senate2015-2016 Session

Relates to the approval process of cable franchises; repealer

Sponsor Joseph A. GriffoSD-47Affects Economy
Status
In Assembly Committee
Corporations, Authorities And Commissions
Impact
Pending
Passage
Pending

Bill progress

Step 5 of 7

In Assembly · Corporations, Authorities And Commissions

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Who cares

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Sponsors

Primary sponsor
Joseph A. Griffo

Senator · Senate District 47

Chair, Energy And Telecommunications

No co-sponsors yet.

History

  1. Referred to corporations, authorities and commissions
  2. Delivered to assembly
  3. Passed senateVote 62–0
  4. Amended on third reading (t) 5641c
  5. Advanced to third reading
  6. 2nd report cal.
  7. 1st report cal.780
  8. Print number 5641b
  9. Amend and recommit to energy and telecommunications
  10. Referred to energy and telecommunications
  11. Committed to rules
  12. Advanced to third reading
Show 4 earlier actions
  1. 2nd report cal.
  2. Amended (t) 5641a
  3. 1st report cal.1336
  4. Referred to energy and telecommunications

Full text

The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.

Sponsor's memo

Title of bill

An act to amend the public service law, in relation to allowing for the approval of cable franchises; and to repeal certain provisions of such law relating thereto

Purpose

Amends the Public Service Law to allow cable franchises to be deemed confirmed after forty-five days following approval by the local municipality and proper filing with the Public Service Commission (PSC) unless the Commission determines that the public interest requires PSC review and written order within such forty-five days.

Summary of provisions

This bill would amend Public Service Law sections 221 and 222 to allow cable franchises to be deemed automatically confirmed after forty-five days following approval by the municipality and proper filing with the Public Service Commission(PSC), unless the PSC determines within such forty-five day period that the public interest requires the Commission's review and written order.

Justification

Under current law, when a video provider wishes to provide video services within an area, the video provider must first seek approval from the locality it is seeking to serve. Once the video provider has obtained this local consent, otherwise known as a franchise agreement, the franchise agreement must then be submitted to the PSC for final approval. This process has no set time frame and approval can take many months.

This legislation would deem an approval of a franchise agreement granted if there is no action or response from the PSC within forty-five days of receiving the request for approval. This change is designed to streamline the confirmation of cable franchises, renewals and amendments by establishing a process that subjects franchises to the PSC's minimum franchising standards, rather than requiring PSC approval.

This automatic granting of franchise agreements will provide more timely access for consumers to video and will help reduce the regulatory burden on all video providers. Further, should the PSC have concerns about the issuance of franchise agreement approval, a full review may be invoked if the PSC determines that the public interest requires a deeper analysis of the franchise.

Legislative history

New Bill

Fiscal implications

None.

Effective date

Immediately; with provisions.

Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.