Texas Utilities Code
§ 66.004 — ELIGIBILITY FOR COMMISSION-ISSUED FRANCHISE
UT § 66.004Title 2. PUBLIC UTILITY REGULATORY ACT · Part C. TELECOMMUNICATIONS UTILITIES · Ch. 66. STATE-ISSUED CABLE AND VIDEO FRANCHISE
Statute text
View on source(a)A cable service provider or a video service provider that currently has or had previously received a franchise to provide cable service or video service with respect to such municipalities is not eligible to seek a state-issued certificate of franchise authority under this chapter as to those municipalities until the expiration date of the existing franchise agreement, except as provided by Subsections (b), (b-1), (b-2), (b-3), and (c).
(b)Beginning September 1, 2005, a cable service provider or video service provider that is not the incumbent cable service provider and serves fewer than 40 percent of the total cable customers in a particular municipal franchise area may elect to terminate that municipal franchise and seek a state-issued certificate of franchise authority by providing written notice to the commission and the affected municipality before January 1, 2006. The municipal franchise is terminated on the date the commission issues the state-issued certificate of franchise authority. (b-1) Beginning September 1, 2011, a cable service provider or video service provider in a municipality with a population of less than 215,000 that was not allowed to or did not terminate a municipal franchise under Subsection (b) may elect to terminate not less than all unexpired franchises in municipalities with a population of less than 215,000 and seek a state-issued certificate of franchise authority for each area served under a terminated municipal franchise by providing written notice to the commission and each affected municipality before January 1, 2012. A municipal franchise is terminated on the date the commission issues a state-issued certificate of franchise authority to the provider for the area served under that terminated franchise. (b-2) A cable service provider or video service provider in a municipality with a population of at least 215,000 may terminate a municipal franchise in that municipality in the manner described by Subsection (b-1) if:
(1)the cable service provider or video service provider is not the incumbent cable service provider in that municipality; and
(2)the incumbent cable service provider received a state-issued certificate of franchise authority from the commission before September 1, 2011. (b-3) A municipality with a population of at least 215,000 may enter into an agreement with any cable service provider in the municipality to terminate a municipal cable franchise before the expiration of the franchise. To the extent that the mutually agreed on terms and conditions for early termination of the unexpired municipal cable franchise conflict with a provision of this chapter, the agreed on terms and conditions control.
(c)A cable service provider that elects under Subsection (b), (b-1), or (b-2) to terminate an existing municipal franchise is responsible for remitting to the affected municipality before the 91st day after the date the municipal franchise is terminated any accrued but unpaid franchise fees due under the terminated franchise. If the cable service provider has credit remaining from prepaid franchise fees, the provider may deduct the amount of the remaining credit from any future fees or taxes it must pay to the municipality, either directly or through the comptroller.
(d)For purposes of this section, a cable service provider or video service provider will be deemed to have or have had a franchise to provide cable service or video service in a specific municipality if any affiliates or successor entity of the cable or video provider has or had a franchise agreement granted by that specific municipality.
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Legislative history
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1077 (S.B. 1087), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2011.