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from: STL Today

AT&T shows them the money

By Kevin McDermott
POST-DISPATCH SPRINGFIELD BUREAU
07/01/2007

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — As AT&T was lobbying this year for a controversial overhaul of Illinois' pay television laws, it was donating tens of thousands of dollars to the state lawmakers who would ultimately approve the measure, records show.

from: SJ-R.com

Governor signs cable legislation
Measure designed to open television markets in state

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published Sunday, July 01, 2007

Gov. Rod Blagojevich signed a law Saturday that advocates hope will make Illinois a national leader in opening cable television markets to competition.

from: MidWest Business.com

Illinois Senate Unanimously Passes Video Franchise Reform

6/21/2007
CHICAGO – The Illinois Senate has unanimously passed the Cable & Video Competition Act, which if signed into law is designed to introduce new competition and cable choices to Illinois consumers.

from: Ars Technica

Illinois to become latest state to give telecoms statewide video franchise

By Eric Bangeman | Published: June 20, 2007 - 12:02PM CT

Illinois has become the latest state to give new entrants into the cable television market a statewide franchise. Passed by the Illinois State Senate yesterday and sent to Gov. Rod Blagojevich for signature, the High Speed Internet Services and Information Technology Act will give AT&T a green light to deploy its U-Verse broadband and IPTV service throughout the state, regardless of the wishes of local municipalities.

from: Chicago Tribune

Senate greenlights cable bill
Franchise rules to soften if governor signs off

By Monique Garcia
Tribune staff reporter
Published June 19, 2007, 2:43 PM CDT

SPRINGFIELD—In a move aimed at creating cable TV competition and lowering rates statewide, the Senate passed legislation today that would allow AT&T and other telecommunications companies to more easily get into the cable-television business.

Illinois Video Bill SB 678 passes the Senate – PEG Access is protected.

For more information: Barbara Popovic - bpopovic@cantv.org

Illinois SB 678 (the amended HB 1500) passed in the Illinois House by a vote of 113-0 on May 31 followed by a 54-0 vote in the Illinois Senate on June 19.

SB 678 resolves public, educational, government (PEG) access TV and many of the local regulatory control issues. Strong consumer protection and enforcement provisions are included in the bill. SB 678 does not resolve all concerns about build-out requirements but is an improvement over the original HB 1500.

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.

from: Chicago Tribune

Originally posted: June 8, 2007
Glory be…

The Chicago Tribune Cable/AT&T editorial of Tuesday, June 5 ("The Illinois model") stating:

"…Glory be, the bill that sailed through the Illinois House 113-0 Friday is that rare legislative accomplishment: It ushers in competition, protects consumers and is fair to both phone and cable companies."

from: Chicago Sun Times

Consumer protections are cable bill victory

June 7, 2007

You can already get phone service from your cable company. And if a promising bill in Springfield becomes law, you could soon get TV service from your phone company. The result should be a win for customers, not only because the bill will spur competition for TV service as well as phone service, but also because the measure contains some consumer protections that are the strongest in the country.

from: Chicago Sun-Times

Letter To the Editor: For once, public good doesn't fall in a hole PEG access television gets important protections in proposed legislation

June 7, 2007

Within a short walk from the hubbub of the legislative session in the State Capitol in Springfield is a quiet plaza with a statue of Abraham Lincoln. Inscribed are words spoken by the newly elected president in 1861 at his first inaugural address. Those words serve as a constant reminder to the men and women serving the people of Illinois today and in the future: ''Why should there not be a patient confidence in the ultimate justice of the people? Is there any better or equal hope in the world?''