Texas 2019 - 86th Regular

Texas House Bill HB3535 Latest Draft

Bill / Comm Sub Version Filed 04/18/2019

                            86R24600 JXC-F
 By: Phelan, et al. H.B. No. 3535
 Substitute the following for H.B. No. 3535:
 By:  Harless C.S.H.B. No. 3535


 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 AN ACT
 relating to the payment of certain fees to municipalities by
 entities that provide telecommunications and cable or video
 services.
 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 SECTION 1.  Section 283.051, Local Government Code, is
 amended by adding Subsections (d), (e), and (f) to read as follows:
 (d)  In this subsection, "affiliated group" has the meaning
 assigned by Section 171.0001, Tax Code.  A certificated
 telecommunications provider is not required to pay any compensation
 under Subsection (a) for a given calendar year if the provider
 determines that the sum of the compensation due from the provider
 and any member of the provider's affiliated group to all
 municipalities in this state under Subsection (a) is less than the
 sum of the fees due from the provider and any member of the
 provider's affiliated group to all municipalities in this state
 under Section 66.005, Utilities Code.  The determination under this
 subsection for a given year must be based on amounts actually paid,
 or amounts that would have been paid notwithstanding this
 subsection, during the 12-month period ending June 30 of the
 immediately preceding calendar year by the provider and any member
 of the provider's affiliated group.  In the case of a conflict
 between this subsection and Section 283.055, this subsection
 prevails.
 (e)  Notwithstanding the aggregate amount of compensation or
 fees paid in this state calculated under Subsection (d), Subsection
 (d) does not exempt a certificated telecommunications provider from
 paying compensation under Subsection (a) to a municipality if the
 provider is not required to pay a fee authorized by Section 66.005,
 Utilities Code, or another fee described in 47 U.S.C. Section
 542(g), to that municipality. This subsection applies only to a
 municipality described in this subsection and does not limit the
 application of Subsection (d) to any other municipality.
 (f)  A certificated telecommunications provider shall file,
 not later than October 1 of each year, an annual written
 notification with each municipality in which the provider provides
 telecommunications services of the provider's requirement to pay
 compensation under Subsection (a) or exemption from the requirement
 to pay compensation under Subsection (d) for the following calendar
 year.
 SECTION 2.  Section 66.005, Utilities Code, is amended by
 adding Subsections (d), (e), and (f) to read as follows:
 (d)  In this subsection, "affiliated group" has the meaning
 assigned by Section 171.0001, Tax Code.  A holder of a state-issued
 certificate of franchise authority is not subject to the fee
 imposed under Subsection (a) for a given calendar year if the holder
 determines that the sum of fees due from the holder and any member
 of the holder's affiliated group to all municipalities in this
 state under Subsection (a) is less than the sum of the compensation
 due from the holder and any member of the holder's affiliated group
 to all municipalities in this state under Section 283.051, Local
 Government Code.  The determination under this subsection for a
 given year must be based on amounts actually paid, or amounts that
 would have been paid notwithstanding this subsection, during the
 12-month period ending June 30 of the immediately preceding
 calendar year by the holder and any member of the holder's
 affiliated group.  In the case of a conflict between this subsection
 and Section 283.055, Local Government Code, this subsection
 prevails.
 (e)  Notwithstanding the aggregate amount of compensation or
 fees paid in this state calculated under Subsection (d), Subsection
 (d) does not exempt a holder of a state-issued certificate of
 franchise authority from paying the fee imposed under Subsection
 (a) to a municipality if the holder is not required to pay
 compensation under Section 283.051, Local Government Code, to that
 municipality. This subsection applies only to a municipality
 described in this subsection and does not limit the application of
 Subsection (d) to any other municipality. Nothing in this
 subsection affects the application of Section 66.006 or 66.009 to
 any holder of a state-issued certificate of franchise authority.
 (f)  A holder of a state-issued certificate of franchise
 authority shall file, not later than October 1 of each year, an
 annual written notification with each municipality in which the
 holder provides cable or video services of the holder's requirement
 to pay the fee under Subsection (a) or exemption from the
 requirement to pay the fee under Subsection (d) for the following
 calendar year.
 SECTION 3.  (a)  The change in law made by this Act applies
 only to a payment made on or after January 1, 2020.  A payment made
 before January 1, 2020, is governed by the law in effect on the date
 the payment was made, and the former law is continued in effect for
 that purpose.
 (b)  A determination of compensation or fees described by
 Section 283.051(d), Local Government Code, as added by this Act, or
 Section 66.005(d), Utilities Code, as added by this Act, for the
 year 2020 must be based on amounts actually paid between July 1,
 2018, and June 30, 2019.
 SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.