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Ohio House Public Utilities Committee considers cable bill

Thursday, June 14, 2007

By MICHAEL J. MAURER
ThisWeek Staff Writer

A bill moving through the Ohio House of Representatives would supersede an estimated 1,400 cable franchise agreements in the state and instead would authorize the Ohio Department of Commerce to grant single, statewide video authorizations.

House committee version of SB 117 preserves local video franchising for most Ohio communities

Source: http://www.callahansclevelanddiary.com/?p=284

Well, you just never know, do you?

The House Public Utilities Committee unanimously approved a heavily amended version of Substitute Senate Bill 117 yesterday evening, after a full afternoon of closed-door caucuses. Evidently the weeks of lobbying by cities, public access and consumer groups were worth the effort, because the Committee sent the full House a much more reasonable bill than it received from the Senate.

from: Callahan's Diary

Foley pushes SB 117 amendments to prevent digital abandonment, create state broadband partnership

I mentioned the other day that there are a few dozen amendments proposed for Senate Bill 117, the state video/broadband franchising bill, as it nears final House markup… possibly as soon as next Tuesday.

Astroturf Alert! Freedom Works is a sleezy front for free market conservative politics and is on the telco payroll. They cite cable increses that everyone knows were the result of Congressional deregulation in the 96 Telecom Act (passed by a Republican Congress). Now they want even greater deregulation. The two year old state franchise in Texas has already resulted in higher cable rates.

Dear Friends,

All the good work that you have put forth on SB 117 may be being undone as we speak in the halls of the Columbus Statehouse.

from: Leader Online

Akron Council opposes SB 117

By Stephanie Kist

DOWNTOWN AKRON — The 11 members of Akron City Council present for the June 4 meeting voted unanimously to oppose Ohio Senate Bill 117. Councilwomen Reneé Greene (D-Ward 4) and Terry Albanese (D-Ward 6) were absent.

The resolution, which was sponsored by Councilman Michael Williams (D-at large), has been on Council’s agenda for several weeks as the bill, which would introduce changes to cable franchising in Ohio, made its way through the legislature in Columbus.

Dear Friends,

YOU have made a difference today.

In the House Public Utilities Committee there seemed to be a change in the wind. Thanks to your calls more than 20 amendments were passed along to the chair of the committee. Based on that, they decided not to have amendments and a vote today, but to rather accept more testimony and to work on the amendments this week, culminating in a committee meeting next Tuesday at 11am where it is likely the bill will be amended and passed.

from: The Western Star

Telecom industry gives big bucks to politicians

Lawmakers are being flooded with campaign donations as the industry pushes for cable deregulation.
Listen to this article or download audio file.Click-2-Listen

By Laura A. Bischoff

Dear Friends,

We have slightly more than a day to save the Public Interest when it comes to Substitute Bill SB 117.

YOU need to contact the members of the House Public Utilities Committee Today.
You can find a list here: http://www.house.state.oh.us/jsps/Committee.jsp?ID=22

Let them know the following:

1) Substitute Bill SB 117 does not make cities whole and needs serious amending.

We have slightly more than a day to save the Public Interest when it comes to Substitute Bill SB 117.