Connecticut House Bill HB06119

Connecticut 2017 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/20/17
• Refer: 1/20/17

Caption

An Act Concerning Collection Of Community Access Programming Fees From Subscribers Of Any Services Provided By Multichannel Video Programming Distributors.

Impact

The proposed changes brought forth by HB 06119 indicate a significant shift in how community access programming fees are structured and collected. By extending the authority to collect fees to all service subscribers, the bill aims to ensure a more equitable distribution of funds that support community access operations. This could potentially lead to increased revenue for local programming efforts and enhance the resources available to these community-focused services, ultimately benefiting the communities they serve.

Summary

House Bill 06119 is aimed at amending section 16-331a of the Connecticut general statutes. The bill allows companies or organizations that manage community access operations to collect community access fees from all subscribers utilizing services provided by multichannel video programming distributors. This includes subscribers to Internet services, cable television, and telephone services. The main objective of the bill is to streamline the collection process for community access programming fees across various platforms that deliver such services.

Contention

Despite its intended purposes, the bill may face contention from various stakeholders, particularly from service providers who might view this as an additional burden on their operations. There are concerns regarding how these fees will be integrated into existing billing structures, and whether consumers might face increased costs as a result. Additionally, potential debates could arise around the use of the collected fees and their effectiveness in enhancing community access broadcast services. Stakeholders will need to address these concerns to ensure the bill is supported by all parties involved.