AB 1826: Digital Infrastructure and Video Competition Act of 2024.

The Digital Infrastructure and Video Competition Act of 2006 establishes a procedure for the Public Utilities Commission to issue state franchises for the provision of video service, defined as video programming services, cable service, or open-video system service, except any video programming provided by a commercial mobile service provider, as defined in federal law, or video programming provided as part of, and via, a service that enables users to access content, information, email, or other services offered over the public internet. The act provides that the holder of a state franchise is not a public utility as a result of providing video services and that the act does not authorize the commission to regulate the rates, terms, and conditions of video service, except as explicitly set forth in the act. The act establishes a state franchise fee to be remitted to a local entity based on the gross revenues, as defined, of a holder of a state franchise derived from the provision of cable or video service within that jurisdiction.

This bill would revise and recast the Digital Infrastructure and Video Competition Act of 2006 to, among other things, rename the act as the Digital Infrastructure and Video Competition Act of 2024 and authorize the commission to exercise the authority, jurisdiction, and powers authorized to be exercised by a franchise authority pursuant to certain federal law, as specified. The bill would revise and recast various provisions regarding applications for a state franchise.

This bill would require the commission to enforce customer service requirements for a holder of a state franchise and would increase the maximum amount of a penalty that a local entity may assess against a holder of a state franchise that materially breaches specified Provisions.

This bill would require the commission to hold at least one public hearing on an application for a state franchise and would require the commission to hold 2 public hearings before approving a holders application for renewal, as specified. The bill would require the commission to annually submit a report to the Legislature regarding its activities in administering cable franchises pursuant to the act, as specified. The bill would also make various conforming changes.

Under existing law, a violation of any order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission is a crime.

Because a violation of a commission action implementing this bills requirements would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.