BILL NUMBER: AJR 39AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 13, 2014 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Roger Hernndez FEBRUARY 19, 2014 Relative to cable and video service. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AJR 39, as amended, Roger Hernndez. Cable and video service. This measure would call on the United States Congress to amend a specified federal law to allow states and their municipalities to determine the best use of public, educational, and government channel support. Fiscal committee: no. WHEREAS, Public, educational, and government (PEG) channels are one of the last surviving sources for local television programming across the country and PEG channels play a significant role in televising open and public meetings; and WHEREAS, PEG channels are a unique and valuable resource for local information and discourse for residents; and WHEREAS, PEG channels televise local government meetings, including citycommissioncouncil meetings, planning commission meetings, county board of supervisors meetings, and school board meetings, so that citizens are informed about the actions taken by local officials; and WHEREAS, PEG channels also are utilized to communicate withcitizensresidents on municipal events and services and provide advisories and preparation directions to residents for emergency purposes; and WHEREAS, PEG channels provide a window through which residents can view the diversity of cultures, educational information, recreational activities, and artistic endeavors in their local community; and WHEREAS, PEG channels reflect the unique identity of the communities they serve; and WHEREAS, It is important to preserve PEG channels and funding for PEG channels and to ensure that PEG channels continue to be available to the entire community to serve residents; and WHEREAS, Section 542 of Title 47 of the United States Code puts limitations on how PEG channel funds can be used, and, if amended, would address critical and immediate threats to PEG channels; and WHEREAS, These amendments would provide solutions for critical and immediate threats to PEG channels and facilities in California and across the country by removing use restrictions on PEG channel access fees, restoring PEG channel revenue streams, and preventing video providers from charging municipalities for the transmission of the PEG channels; and WHEREAS, This change to federal law would allow PEG channel fees to once again be used for any legitimate PEG channel expense instead of restricting PEG channel fees to capital expenses only; now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Assembly and the Senate of the State of California, jointly, That the Legislature calls on the United States Congress to amend Section 542 of Title 47 of the United States Code to allow states and their municipalities to determine the best use of PEG channel support; and be it further Resolved, That the Legislature calls on the United States Congress to eliminate an outdated and unnecessary pre-1984 distinction that does not give flexibility to local governments to utilize PEG channel funds for any legitimate PEG channel expense in addition to capital expenses; and be it further Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the President and the Vice President of the United States, to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to the Majority Leader of the Senate, and to each Senator and Representative from California in the Congress of the United States.