Bill Text: NY S03141 | 2021-2022 | General Assembly | Amended
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Authorizes broadband franchises in cities with a population of one million or more.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-01-05 - REFERRED TO ENERGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS [S03141 Detail]
Download: New_York-2021-S03141-Amended.html
Bill Title: Authorizes broadband franchises in cities with a population of one million or more.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-01-05 - REFERRED TO ENERGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS [S03141 Detail]
Download: New_York-2021-S03141-Amended.html
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 3141--A 2021-2022 Regular Sessions IN SENATE January 27, 2021 ___________ Introduced by Sens. PARKER, BIAGGI, MYRIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Trans- portation -- committee discharged and said bill committed to the Committee on Energy and Telecommunications -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee AN ACT to amend the transportation corporations law and the public service law, in relation to authorizing broadband franchises in cities with a population of one million or more The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Section 27 of the transportation corporations law, as 2 amended by chapter 840 of the laws of 1977, is amended to read as 3 follows: 4 § 27. Construction of lines. 1. Any such corporation may erect, 5 construct and maintain the necessary fixtures for its lines upon, over 6 or under any of the public roads, streets and highways; and through, 7 across or under any of the waters within the limits of this state, and 8 may erect, construct and maintain its necessary stations, plants, equip- 9 ment or lines upon, through or over any other land, subject to the right 10 of the owners thereof to full compensation for the same. If any such 11 corporation can not agree with such owner or owners upon the compen- 12 sation to be paid therefor, such compensation shall be ascertained in 13 the manner provided in the eminent domain procedure law. Any such corpo- 14 ration is authorized, from time to time, to construct and lay lines of 15 electrical conductors under ground in any city, village or town within 16 the limits of this state, subject to all the provisions of law in refer- 17 ence to such companies not inconsistent with this section; provided that 18 such corporation shall, before laying any such line in any city, village 19 or town of this state, first obtain from the common council of cities, 20 or other body having like jurisdiction therein, the trustees of EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD07234-02-1S. 3141--A 2 1 villages, or the town superintendents of towns, permission to use the 2 streets within such city, village or town for the purposes herein set 3 forth. Nothing in this section shall limit, alter, or affect the 4 provisions or powers relating or granted to telegraph corporations here- 5 tofore created by special act of the legislature of this state, except 6 in so far as to confer on any such corporation the right to lay elec- 7 trical conductors under ground. 8 2. (a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this section, 9 compensation to cities with a population of one million or more for use 10 and occupancy of public rights-of-way by lines of any such corporation 11 (whether of electrical conductors or telecommunications lines which are 12 not conductors, such as fiber optic lines) heretofore or hereafter 13 located within such cities shall equal the amount set forth in subdivi- 14 sion three of section ninety-nine-a of the public service law, except 15 that with respect to any such city and corporation that enters into a 16 franchise agreement in accordance with the terms of such city's charter 17 regarding franchise agreements such compensation shall be as provided in 18 such franchise agreement during the term of such franchise agreement. 19 (b) To the extent that any entity holds rights preexisting the effec- 20 tive date of paragraph (a) of this subdivision with respect to the occu- 21 pancy of public rights-of-way for certain lines of electrical conduc- 22 tors, and to the extent such preexisting rights would bar the 23 application of paragraph (a) of this subdivision to such lines, then 24 paragraph (a) of this subdivision shall not apply to those lines to 25 which such bar would be applicable. 26 § 2. The public service law is amended by adding a new section 99-a to 27 read as follows: 28 § 99-a. Franchises in cities with a population of one million or more. 29 1. (a) The owner of communications lines located within the public 30 rights-of-way in any city with a population of one million or more that 31 uses such lines for the provision of information services shall pay to 32 such city the compensation amount, except that with respect to any such 33 city and owner that have entered into an unexpired franchise agreement 34 or revocable consent agreement (whichever may be applicable under such 35 city's charter) for the use of public rights-of-way to provide informa- 36 tion services in accordance with the terms of such city's charter 37 regarding such franchise agreements or revocable consent agreements such 38 compensation shall, for the term of such franchise agreement or revoca- 39 ble consent agreement, be as provided in such franchise agreement or 40 revocable consent agreement. 41 (b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this subdivision, to the extent 42 that with respect to a communications line the owner has paid compen- 43 sation to the city in accordance with subdivision two of this section 44 with respect to a particular period, the amount of such payment shall 45 constitute a credit against the payment due with respect to that period 46 under this subdivision. 47 2. (a) The owner of communications lines located within the public 48 rights-of-way in any city with a population of one million or more that 49 uses such lines for the provision of telecommunications services shall 50 pay to such city the compensation amount, except that with respect to 51 any such city and owner that have entered into an unexpired franchise 52 agreement or revocable consent agreement (whichever may be applicable 53 under such city's charter) for the use of public rights-of-way to 54 provide telecommunications services in accordance with the terms of such 55 city's charter regarding such franchise agreements or revocable consentS. 3141--A 3 1 agreements such compensation shall be as provided in such franchise 2 agreement or revocable consent agreement. 3 (b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this subdivision, to the extent 4 that with respect to a communications line the owner has paid compen- 5 sation to the city in accordance with subdivision one of this section 6 with respect to a particular period, the amount of such payment shall 7 constitute a credit against the payment due with respect to that period 8 under this subdivision. 9 3. (a) The compensation amount applicable to each communication line 10 occupying public rights-of-way for each full calendar year of such occu- 11 pation shall be calculated by multiplying the number of linear feet such 12 line occupies in the public rights-of-way by the per foot fee. The per 13 foot fee with respect to communications lines within any county shall be 14 calculated by dividing the franchise fee paid by the primary cable fran- 15 chisee in such county to the local franchising authority during calendar 16 year two thousand twelve by the number of linear feet which occupied the 17 public rights-of-way within such county during calendar year two thou- 18 sand twelve and which were used by such primary cable franchisee for the 19 provision of cable television service. The primary cable franchisee in a 20 county is the entity holding a franchise from the applicable local fran- 21 chising authority authorizing the provision of cable television service 22 within such county; provided that to the extent that there is more than 23 one such entity in a county then the primary cable franchisee for such 24 county shall be the entity that paid the highest total amount of fran- 25 chise fees applicable to its cable television service within such county 26 during calendar year two thousand twelve. 27 (b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this subdivision, with respect to 28 any entity which holds a cable television franchise, the amount of fran- 29 chise fees paid by such entity with respect to those lines within its 30 applicable franchise area which lines are used for the provision of 31 cable television service shall constitute a credit against the total 32 compensation amount payable with respect to such lines, and further that 33 in no event shall the total compensation amount required to be paid by 34 any entity that holds a cable television franchise agreement exceed the 35 maximum amount, with respect to lines which are used for the provision 36 of cable television service, permitted to be charged under federal law. 37 4. Cities with a population of one million or more are hereby author- 38 ized, to adopt, to the extent not inconsistent with state law, with 39 respect to telecommunications services, requirements necessary to 40 preserve and advance universal service, protect the public safety and 41 welfare, ensure the continued quality of telecommunications services, 42 and safeguard the rights of consumers, as a delegee of the authority 43 described in title 47, section 253(b) of the United States Code or any 44 successor provision thereto. Such requirements may be adopted by local 45 law or rule or pursuant to contracts or agreement, to the extent 46 consistent with the applicable city charter. 47 5. For the purposes of this section, "communications lines" shall mean 48 cable, wire, fiber or other closed path transmission medium that may be 49 used in lieu of cable, wire or fiber for the same purposes, and related 50 equipment and facilities used for the provision of one or more of the 51 following services: telecommunications services, information services 52 and cable television services (each of which is defined for purposes of 53 this section as it is defined in title 47 of the United States Code). 54 § 3. Severability clause. If any clause, sentence, paragraph, subdivi- 55 sion, section or part of this act shall be adjudged by any court of 56 competent jurisdiction to be invalid, such judgment shall not affect,S. 3141--A 4 1 impair, or invalidate the remainder thereof, but shall be confined in 2 its operation to the clause, sentence, paragraph, subdivision, section 3 or part thereof directly involved in the controversy in which such judg- 4 ment shall have been rendered. It is hereby declared to be the intent of 5 the legislature that this act would have been enacted even if such 6 invalid provisions had not been included herein. 7 § 4. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall 8 have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or 9 repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of 10 this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed 11 on or before such effective date.
