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OLR Bill Analysis
sSB 278
AN ACT CONCERNING FEES PAID TO COMPANIES OR
ORGANIZATIONS RESPONSIBLE FOR COMMUNITY ACCESS
PROGRAMMING.
SUMMARY
This bill expands the types of subscribers who must pay the fee that
helps support community access TV operations to include those who
subscribe to internet access and video streaming services from
multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs) (i.e., cable TV
providers). Under the bill, “video streaming” is the delivery of video
content sent in compressed form over the internet and displayed by the
viewer in real time for a fee on a subscription basis.
Existing law, unchanged by the bill, sets the fee at $5 per subscriber
(adjusted annually for inflation since 1995) and allows the Public
Utilities Regulatory Authority to adjust it based on factors such as the
level of community interest in public access and the adequacy of public
access facilities, equipment, and training programs.
EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage
COVERED SUBSCRIBERS
Current law requires MVPD subscribers to pay an annual community
access fee to help support community access TV operations; however, it
does not define these subscribers or the services to which they subscribe.
In practice, the fee is charged to cable TV subscribers.
The bill defines a subscriber as any residential or commercial
customer who purchases video streaming services, internet access
services, or cable TV services. In doing so, it requires those who
subscribe to an MVPD for video streaming or internet access services to
also pay the community access fee. However, the bill also specifies that
for anyone who subscribes to more than one of the three services, the 2022SB-00278-R000352-BA.DOCX
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community access operator that receives the fees must only receive one
payment from the subscriber (e.g., someone who receives cable TV and
internet service from an MVPD cannot be charged the fee twice).
COMMITTEE ACTION
Energy and Technology Committee
Joint Favorable
Yea 24 Nay 2 (03/22/2022)