HB 1274 - AS INTRODUCED
2000 SESSION
HOUSE BILL 1274
AN ACT limiting the services that a cable television operator may require a consumer to purchase as a condition of access to other video programming.
SPONSORS: Rep. Larrabee, Merr 9
COMMITTEE: Science, Technology and Energy
This bill limits the services that a cable franchise may permit a cable operator to require a subscriber to purchase as a condition of access to video programming offered on a per channel or per program basis.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
00-2066
03/09
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand
AN ACT limiting the services that a cable television operator may require a consumer to purchase as a condition of access to other video programming.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Section; Franchising and Regulation of Cable Television Systems by Cities and Towns; Limitations on Basic Service Tier. Amend RSA 53-C by inserting after section 4 the following new section:
53-C:4-a Limitations on Basic Service Tier.
I. No municipality shall grant a franchise for cable service that permits a cable operator to require the subscription to any tier other than the basic service tier as a condition of access to video programming offered on a per channel or per program basis. All video programming that is not included in the basic service tier shall be offered on a per channel or per program basis.
II. The basic service tier shall be limited to the following:
(a) Local commercial television stations and local noncommercial educational television stations;
(b) Public, educational, and governmental access programming required by the franchise of the cable system to be provided to subscribers; and
(c) Any signal of any television broadcast station that is provided by the cable operator to any subscriber, except a signal which is secondarily transmitted by a satellite carrier beyond the local service area of such station.
III. A violation of this section by a cable operator shall constitute an unfair or deceptive trade practice within the meaning of RSA 358-A.
2 Applicability. RSA 53-C:4-a, as inserted by section 1 of this act, shall apply to all cable franchises granted, renewed, or amended after December 31, 2000.
3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect January 1, 2001.