The Facts: CA Assembly Bill 2987
Choice. Competition. Consumer Savings.
AB 2987, the Digital Infrastructure and Video Competition Act of 2006, is groundbreaking legislation that eliminates impediments to investment in next-generation broadband networks and promotes video competition throughout California.
Authored by the Speaker of the Assembly, Fabian Nunez, and co-authored by Assemblyman Lloyd Levine, Chair of the Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee, this bill will usher in a new era of competition and choice to the TV/video services market in California by:
- Encouraging investment in next-generation broadband network infrastructure, helping California solidify its position as a world technology leader.
- Promoting competition in the video services market ensuring more California consumers will have more control and choice over their video and entertainment experience. When companies compete, consumers win.
- Streamlining the outdated city-by-city video franchise process by establishing the California Department of Corporations as the franchising authority in the state, speeding the competitive roll out of new products and services to customers.
- Guaranteeing local governments continue receiving franchise fees at up to 5% of gross revenues earned in the locality, just as they always have.
- Prohibiting discrimination based on income by extending to new entrants the same anti-discrimination law that applies to cable companies.
- Ensuring local governments continue receiving PEG channels and support at levels comparable to that currently provided by cable companies.
- Reaffirming local government control over time, place and manner of access to public rights-of-way.
- Preserving local government ability to impose utility user taxes under existing provisions of California law.
- Spurring job creation as new market entrants add well-paying jobs as well as jobs created by contractors, equipment makers, manufacturers, and service providers.
- Establishing existing state customer service and consumer protection statutes as the uniform standards throughout the state.