from: http://www.keepusconnected.org/ [1]

Hearing on House Bill 1500 Thursday, March 22

As Illinois faces changes to video franchise laws, the Keep Us Connected coalition urges state legislators to protect the public interest.

By joining the Keep Us Connected coalition, you are supporting pro-community video franchise laws that:

* Require build-out to all neighborhoods in a community
* Protect Public, Educational and Government (PEG) Access by ensuring carriage of existing and future PEG stations with adequate funding to operate
* Maintain local governments' control over its rights of way, including the right to create communications networks
* Protect consumers with meaningful competition and strong customer service standards
* Maintain a free and open Internet

The Keep Us Connected Coalition consists of nonprofit organizations, municipalities, PEG Access stations, educational and government institutions, and Illinois residents.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

TESTIFY at the Illinois House Telecommunications Committee hearing
When: Thursday, March 22 at 8 a.m.
Where: Stratton Building, 401 S. Spring St., Room C-1 in Springfield, IL
Who: Municipalities are among the bill's opponents scheduled for this hearing

If you're interested in testifying at the hearing on the importance of protecting the public interest in HB1500, call Shaw Decremer in the office of the Speaker of House at (312) 814-4890 or e-mail sdecremer@hds.ilga.gov.

for more info: http://www.keepusconnected.org/ [2]