S1656

An Act concerning Internet access in public libraries and amending P.L.1972, c.186.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. Section 28 of P.L.1972, c.186 (C.48:5A-28) is amended to read as follows:

28. Each application for a municipal consent or system-wide franchise shall contain:

a. A description of the initial area to be served [.];

b. A description of the proposed service in terms of the number of channels of cable television reception service [.];

c. Sufficient evidence that the applicant has the financial and technical capacity [and], the legal [,] character, and other qualifications to construct, maintain, and operate the necessary installations, lines, and equipment [and] to provide the service proposed in a safe, adequate, and proper manner [.];

d. Evidence of sufficient bond, or commitment therefor, with sureties to be approved by the office, in the penal sum of not less than $25,000 for the faithful performance of all undertakings by the applicant as represented in the application [;], the sufficiency of which shall be subject to review by the director and approval by the board [.];

e. An undertaking to hold the board and all municipalities served harmless from any liability arising out of the applicant's operation and construction of its CATV system [.];

f. Evidence of sufficient insurance insuring the board, all municipalities served, and the applicant with respect to all liability for any death, personal injury, property damage, or other liability arising out of the applicant's construction and operation of its CATV system [;], the sufficiency of which shall be subject to review by the director and approval by the board. [Such] The insurance shall be no less than: (1) $150,000 for bodily injury or death to any one person, within the limit, however, of $500,000 for bodily injury or death resulting from any one accident [,]; (2) $100,000 for property damage resulting from any one accident [,]; and (3) $50,000 for all other types of liability [;], the sufficiency of which shall be subject to review by the director and approval by the board [.];

g. A schedule of proposed rates for cable television reception service, which [rates] shall not be altered during the term for which the municipal consent is issued, except by application to the board for amendment of the terms and conditions of [said] the consent after public hearing, subject to the rules of the office, review by the director, and approval by the board, or amendment pursuant to the provisions of subsection b. of section 11 of P.L.1972, c.186 (C.48:5A-11) [.];

h. (1) With regard only to applications for a system-wide franchise, a commitment [as] to those municipalities that are served by a CATV company at the time of the application, to match or surpass any line extension policy operative at the time the system-wide franchise is granted and placed into effect prior to the enactment of P.L.2006, c.83 (C.48:5A-25.1 et al.) by a local franchise or certificate of approval, for the duration of the system-wide franchise. In any event, the CATV company shall extend its plant along public rights-of-way to all residences and businesses within 150 aerial feet of the CATV company's existing plant at no cost beyond the normal installation rate, and to all residences and businesses within 100 underground feet of the CATV company's plant at no cost beyond the normal installation rate, and shall set a minimum house per mile density of not less than 35 homes per square mile.

(2) This commitment shall be in addition to any and all board orders and rules that impact upon the extension of plant, except that such commitment shall supersede the board's regulations adopted as N.J.A.C. 14:3-8.1 et seq., which shall not apply to CATV companies, including telecommunications service providers, that have obtained a system-wide franchise [.];

i. With regard only to applications for a system-wide franchise, a commitment to provide to each municipality that is served by a CATV company, with two public, educational, and governmental access channels. In the event that two or more access channels are requested by a municipality, the municipality shall demonstrate that its cable-related needs require the provision of such additional access channels. [Any and all CATV companies] A CATV company operating in a municipality shall provide interconnection to all other CATV companies on reasonable terms and conditions, and the board shall adopt regulations for procedures by which disputes between such CATV companies shall be determined and expeditiously resolved. Each municipality or its non-profit designee shall assume responsibility for the management, operations and programming of the public, educational, and governmental access channels [.];

j. With regard only to applications for a system-wide franchise, a commitment to install and retain or provide, without charge, one service outlet activated for basic service to any and all fire stations, public schools, police stations, public libraries, and other such buildings used for municipal purposes [.];

k. With regard only to applications for a system-wide franchise or a renewal of a system-wide franchise, issued or approved by the board after the effective date of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), a commitment to provide free Internet service, including the provision of any routers or other equipment necessary to provide that service, without charge, through one service outlet activated for basic service to any and all fire stations, public schools, police stations, public libraries, and other such buildings used for municipal purposes [.]. The free Internet service provided to a public library shall have a business customer class Internet access bandwidth and circuit capacity proportional to the public library’s needs;

l. With regard only to applications for a system-wide franchise, a commitment to provide equipment and training for access users, without charge, on a schedule to be agreed upon between the municipality and the CATV company [.];

m. With regard only to applications for a system-wide franchise, a commitment to provide a return feed from any one location in the municipality, without charge, to the CATV company's headend or other location of interconnection to the cable television system for public, educational, or governmental use, which return feed, at a minimum, provides the ability for the municipality to cablecast live or taped access programming, in real time, as may be applicable, to the CATV company's customers in the municipality. No CATV company is responsible for providing a return access feed unless a municipality requests such a feed in writing. A CATV company that has interconnected with another CATV company may require the second CATV company to pay for half of the CATV company's absorbed costs for extension [.];

n. With regard only to applications for a system-wide franchise, a commitment to meet any consumer protection requirements applicable, pursuant to board regulations, to cable television companies operating under certificates of approval [.]; and

o. With regard only to applications for municipal consent or a renewal of municipal consent, issued or approved by the board after the effective date of P.L. , c. (C. ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), a commitment to provide free Internet service, including the provision of any routers or other equipment necessary to provide that service, without charge, through one service outlet activated for basic service to at least one public library in the municipality that is the subject of the consent. The free Internet service provided to a public library shall have a business customer class Internet access bandwidth and circuit capacity proportional to the public library’s needs.

(cf: P.L.2006, c.83, s.23)

2. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill requires a cable television (CATV) company that is applying for or renewing a municipal franchise to provide free Internet service, including routers or other necessary equipment, to at least one public library in the municipality served by the CATV company. The free Internet service requirement is to take effect as part of any new or renewed municipal franchise agreement that is issued or approved by the Board of Public Utilities after the effective date of the bill. The bill also requires a CATV company to provide the public library with a business customer class Internet access bandwidth and circuit capacity proportional to the public library’s needs.

Further, the bill require a CATV company that is applying for or renewing system-wide franchise to provide free Internet service, including a router or other necessary equipment, to all municipal buildings in a municipality served by that CATV company. The free Internet service provided to a public library by a CATV company that is a system-wide franchise shall have a business customer class Internet access bandwidth and circuit capacity proportional to the public library’s needs.