CABLE Expansion Act
The Connecting And Building Lines for Expedited Expansion Act (CABLE Expansion Act) would amend the Communications Act of 1934 to reaffirm and constrain how local franchising authorities (typically city or county governments that grant cable television franchises) regulate the placement, construction, and modification of certain cable facilities. The bill preserves local authority but imposes specific deadlines and procedural requirements to prevent undue delays. It aims to speed up the deployment or expansion of cable service by establishing clear timeframes for reviewing complete facility requests, specifying what counts as a complete request, and requiring written, evidence-based decisions that are publicly released. It also defines key terms such as “covered facility” and “eligible support infrastructure” to clarify what kinds of projects fall under these rules. In short, the bill seeks to reduce permitting delays for cable infrastructure while preserving local franchising control, with an emphasis on timely, transparent decision-making and protections to ensure that regulatory processes do not hinder the ability to provide cable service.
Key Points
- 1Adds new subsection (j) to Section 624 of the Communications Act to preserve franchising authority while setting specific limitations and procedures for placement, construction, or modification of covered facilities.
- 2Timelines for decisions: franchising authorities must approve or deny a complete request within 90 days for projects on eligible support infrastructure, or 150 days for other projects, with the total time counting across all required proceedings.
- 3No tolling of timelines: the deadlines cannot be interrupted by moratoria or similar delays imposed by the franchising authority on consideration of the request.
- 4Complete request rules: a request is considered complete if the authority has not provided a written notice within 10 business days indicating missing information; the definition of “received” varies by submission method (electronic, in person, or other) and completion occurs when all required information is submitted.
- 5Written decisions with record: any denial must be in writing, supported by substantial evidence, and publicly released at the same time as the decision; decisions must include a written record.
- 6Definitions: clarifies terms—“eligible support infrastructure” includes infrastructure that supports or houses a facility for cable communication, and “covered facility” is a facility for providing cable service that serves subscribers via an easement or public right-of-way.