Rhode Island 2023 Regular Session

Rhode Island House Bill H6046 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2
3	3
4	4
5	5	2023 -- H 6046
6	6	========
7	7	LC001192
8	8	========
9	9	S TATE OF RHODE IS LAND
10	10	IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
11	11	JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023
12	12	____________
13	13
14	14	A N A C T
15	15	RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- COMMUNITY ANTENNA
16	16	TELEVISION SYSTEMS
17	17	Introduced By: Representative Michelle E. McGaw
18	18	Date Introduced: March 03, 2023
19	19	Referred To: House Corporations
20	20
21	21
22	22	It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
23	23	SECTION 1. Section 39-19-6 of the General Laws in Chapter 39-19 entitled "Community 1
24	24	Antenna Television Systems" is hereby amended to read as follows: 2
25	25	39-19-6. Jurisdiction of division. 3
26	26	(a) The division shall supervise and regulate every CATV company operating within this 4
27	27	state so far as may be necessary to prevent the operation from having detrimental consequences to 5
28	28	the public interest, and for this purpose may promulgate and enforce such reasonable rules and 6
29	29	regulations as it may deem necessary with reference to issuance of certificates, territory of 7
30	30	operation, abandonment of facilities, elimination of unjust discrimination among subscribers, 8
31	31	financial responsibility, and insurance covering personal injury and property damage, safety of 9
32	32	equipment and operation, and filing of reports. No certificates shall be issued or remain valid unless 10
33	33	the applicant has filed with the division and revised to keep current a schedule of rates and charges 11
34	34	for its services. The rates and charges shall be reasonably compensatory so as not to encourage 12
35	35	unfair or destructive competitive practices and shall be applied without discrimination. The cable 13
36	36	television section of the division of public utilities and carriers shall take all necessary steps to 14
37	37	ensure that Rhode Island shall regulate the rates charged by cable television companies to the full 15
38	38	extent allowable under federal law; provided, however, the division shall hold public hearings and 16
39	39	the cable television companies shall justify and explain at the hearings the necessity for all rate 17
40	40	increases of regulated rates pursuant to § 39-19-6.2. This section shall constitute authority to make 18
41	41
42	42
43	43	LC001192 - Page 2 of 3
44	44	any and all certifications to the Federal Communications Commission required under the Cable 1
45	45	Television Consumer Protection and Competition Act of 1992, Pub. L. No. 102-385. 2
46	46	(b) The division shall supervise and regulate every CATV company operating within this 3
47	47	state to the fullest extent possible within limits established by federal law or where federal law does 4
48	48	not currently apply, including any emerging technology not currently regulated by federal law. 5
49	49	SECTION 2. Chapter 39-19 of the General Laws entitled "Community Antenna Television 6
50	50	Systems" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section: 7
51	51	39-19-6.2. Regulation of rates. 8
52	52	(a) The division, whenever a rate increase is proposed by any CATV company for any tier 9
53	53	of cable service, shall hold public hearings and the CATV companies shall justify and explain at 10
54	54	the hearings the necessity for all rate increases of regulated rates. This justification and explanation 11
55	55	shall include, at a minimum, all the filing of information, documents and evidence as required 12
56	56	pursuant to subsection (b) of this section and shall additionally include any data, statistics, 13
57	57	schedules, or information the division deems proper or necessary to enable the division to analyze 14
58	58	and determine appropriate, fair and reasonable rates that serve the best interest of the public. The 15
59	59	division may issue orders as the division finds proper, expedient or necessary to enforce and 16
60	60	administer the provisions of this section to secure compliance with any rules or regulations made 17
61	61	thereunder and to protect the public interest. 18
62	62	(b) Any and all filings submitted by the cable companies to the Federal Communications 19
63	63	Commission (FCC) regarding cable programming rates shall be submitted to the division. 20
64	64	(c) For any proposed or implemented rate increase, the office of auditor general shall 21
65	65	conduct an audit on the information required pursuant to this section to determine the accuracy of 22
66	66	all information submitted and for the purpose of determining the reasonableness of any rate increase 23
67	67	and any other matter or facts properly within the purview of the auditor general as requested by the 24
68	68	division. 25
69	69	(d) Should the auditor general find any fraudulent, false or deceptive statements, 26
70	70	documents or evidence provided by any CATV company pursuant to the requirements of subsection 27
71	71	(a) or (b) of this section then the matter shall be forwarded by the auditor general to the attorney 28
72	72	general for review and possible prosecution. 29
73	73	SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage. 30
74	74	========
75	75	LC001192
76	76	========
77	77
78	78
79	79	LC001192 - Page 3 of 3
80	80	EXPLANATION
81	81	BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
82	82	OF
83	83	A N A C T
84	84	RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- COMMUNITY ANTENNA
85	85	TELEVISION SYSTEMS
86	86	***
87	87	This act would require the division of public utilities to hold public hearings related to 1
88	88	proposed rate increases by cable television companies and require the companies to justify and 2
89	89	explain the necessity for all rate increases. The auditor general would audit all information 3
90	90	submitted to justify any proposed rate increase. 4
91	91	This act would take effect upon passage. 5
92	92	========
93	93	LC001192
94	94	========