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from: Daily Southtown

Feud better not sabotage cable television bill

June 11, 2007

The issue: The Illinois House has approved a bill that makes major changes in the cable TV industry in the state. The bill's future in the Senate is hazy because of a reported feud between lawmakers.

We say: The House bill is a very impressive piece of legislation. It would be a shame if political bickering prevented it from becoming law.

The General Assembly last week appeared to be on the verge of doing a good thing for consumers by bringing more competition to the cable television industry in Illinois. The House unanimously passed a bill sponsored by state Rep. James Brosnahan (D-Evergreen Park) that redefines the playing field for the industry. The bill was sent to the Senate, where it also has strong support.

But late in the week, passage of the bill did not appear to be a sure thing. And according to Rich Miller's Capitol Fax, ego apparently was the reason. The personality clash between Senate President Emil Jones and House Speaker Mike Madigan, which has played a major role in producing a most ineffective legislative session, is responsible for souring the cable bill for now.

According to Miller, Jones may be irritated at the credit being handed out to Madigan and his daughter, Attorney General Lisa Madigan, for their roles in crafting this important piece of legislation. Jones also is upset by a provision that give the attorney general more oversight of the cable industry.

We hope that this latest snit is just a small bump in the road and the Senate promptly advances the bill and sends it on to Gov. Rod Blagojevich for his signature. Adults should stop acting like kids in Springfield, forget about who's being handed gold stars by the teacher and get on with the important issues at hand.

There was indeed a lot of effort that went into the cable legislation, and it will help consumers. Will it mean lower cable rates? We'll believe that when we see it, but we believe it will help keep rates in check.

The new bill would allow for more competition in the industry. At present, most towns are served by only one cable provider. In most instances, it is Comcast, the largest cable provider in the state. Comcast and the Illinois Municipal League, which represents towns in the state, opposed the initial version of the bill, which was crafted by AT&T -- a company that stands to gain big time by the legislation. But they dropped their opposition after major revisions were made by Brosnahan, who worked with Lisa Madigan on the legislation. What emerged, experts say, is one of the toughest, pro-consumer cable bills in the country.

Under the legislation, cable companies would go through the Illinois Commerce Commission instead of individual towns if they want to provide cable service. But the towns and the attorney general's office still would maintain some authority over the cable companies. And municipalities would receive a fee from the cable companies commensurate with what they now get through franchise fees. What's more, the towns would have a say in where cable companies could dig up the ground to install wiring.

Consumers would benefit not only by receiving more competitive rates, but in other ways, too. No cable contracts can be for a period longer than a year. And cable companies must guarantee a service call within a four-hour window. If the cable guy fails to show up during that time frame, the customer receives a $25 credit.

The bill also requires the companies to offer service to 35 percent to 50 percent of homes in an area and to 30 percent to 40 percent of low-income homes. This is aimed at preventing companies from cherry-picking customers in certain neighborhoods. We previously called for a 100 percent build-out, but the provisions in the new bill are reasonable.

Brosnahan and those who worked on the legislation deserve credit. It would be a shame if their work went for naught because of a silly feud between people who should know better. Jones needs to release his hold on the bill and let lawmakers act on it.