This bill would enact the Digital Infrastructure and Video Competition Act of 2006 and would establish a procedure for the issuance of state franchises for the provision of video service, which would be defined to include cable service and open-video systems, that would be administered by the Public Utilities Commission. The commission would be the sole franchising authority for state franchises to provide video services.

The bill would provide that cities, counties, cities and counties, or joint powers authorities would receive state franchise fees in exchange for the use of public rights-of-way for the delivery of video services provided within their jurisdictions, based on gross revenues, pursuant to a specified formula.

The bill would also authorize local entities to establish a fee to support the costs of PEG channel facilities, in the amount of 1% of gross revenues, or more in specified circumstances.

The bill would also require the local franchising entity to enforce customer service and protection standards and to enact an ordinance or resolution providing a schedule of penalties for any material breach of those standards

The bill would provide that a state franchise is valid for 10 years and would require a provider to apply to the commission for renewal of the franchise for any additional 10-year period.

The bill would prohibit the commission from permitting a telephone corporation that is providing video service pursuant to a state franchise to authorize an increase in rates for residential basic service until January 1, 2009

The amount of the state franchise fee shall be 5 percent of gross revenues, as defined in subdivision (d) of Section 5860, or the percentage applied by the local entity to the gross revenue of the incumbent cable operator, whichever is less. If there is no incumbent cable operator or upon the expiration of the incumbent cable operator's franchise, the amount of the state franchise fee shall be 5 percent of gross revenues, as defined in subdivision (d) of Section 5860, unless the local entity adopts an ordinance setting the amount of the franchise fee at less than 5 percent.

said by rit56 :

what are they giving up? how about self determination, the ability to have a say to insure that there is some local programming to reflect the community at large rather than the controlled content the big media corporations want to deliver. the boring national reports that most people I know never watch. even local news here is pathetic. right now the Republican Congress has been outed for covering for a pedophile Congressman from Florida, a sexual predator going after young boys and it is not being fully reported. they sure got themselves in a huff over Clintons antics but it's ok for a Republican Congressman to harass underage boys? the local news is talking today about Autumn foliage. pathetic. Liberal media? Right wing controlled media is the reality now. and all the cable co's are helping to provide cover for this administration. now that I'm on a roll here check out Woodwards new book. The President of the United States and Karl Rove telling fart jokes. pulling fart jokes in Cabinet meetings. The President of the United States enjoying fart jokes at cabinet meetings? go ahead and defend that. it is just incomprehensible that the President is a dumb frat boy and enjoys fart jokes in cabinet meetings. . God help us.

said by rit56 :

The President of the United States enjoying fart jokes at cabinet meetings? go ahead and defend that.

said by rit56 :

what are they giving up? how about self determination, the ability to have a say to insure that there is some local programming to reflect the community at large rather than the controlled content the big media corporations want to deliver. the boring national reports that most people I know never watch. even local news here is pathetic. right now the Republican Congress has been outed for covering for a pedophile Congressman from Florida, a sexual predator going after young boys and it is not being fully reported. they sure got themselves in a huff over Clintons antics but it's ok for a Republican Congressman to harass underage boys? the local news is talking today about Autumn foliage. pathetic. Liberal media? Right wing controlled media is the reality now. and all the cable co's are helping to provide cover for this administration. now that I'm on a roll here check out Woodwards new book. The President of the United States and Karl Rove telling fart jokes. pulling fart jokes in Cabinet meetings. The President of the United States enjoying fart jokes at cabinet meetings? go ahead and defend that. it is just incomprehensible that the President is a dumb frat boy and enjoys fart jokes in cabinet meetings. . God help us.

said by GOLFnSUN :

So, in effect, the localities still get to control service levels and safety. They get 5% franchise fee plus a 1% peg fee.

said by marigolds :

It doesn't say that.
It says the state will get a 5% franchise fee and the city, county, and state will each receive a piece of that.

said by GOLFnSUN :

And exactly where does it say that ?, because that is NOT in the analysis of the bill at this link:
»www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/bill/asm/···oor.html

Requires the holder of a state franchise to pay rent to each
local entity where it provides video service a franchise fee
based on the gross revenue, as defined in the statute, for the
use of the public right-of-way. If there is an incumbent cable
operator in that jurisdiction the fee shall be 5% of the holder's
gross revenue or the percentage applied to the incumbent's gross
revenue, whichever is less. If there is no local franchises or
after all local franchise have expired, the franchise fee will be
5% of gross revenue or a lower level set by the local government
thru ordinance.

said by GOLFnSUN :

What are the localities giving up, but the ability to blackmail special deals out of the telcos and cable companies to feather local pols nests.

said by cybercrimes :

If Arnold Schwarzenegger ran for President would you vote for him i know i would

said by Thaler :

*shrugs* Not like it could do any worse. The puppet changes, but never the puppeteers.

said by logcabinboy :

I would think that any new companies would simply buy the existing companies. There would be no economic benefit to them to spend all that money in constuction, for a gamble. This wouldn't apply to laying fiber optic cable for telcos.