01-14-1985 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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Minnesota Municipalities December 27, 1984 Page 2 of 3 established cable policies, procedures and standards vital to the public interest are carried out by the municipalities themselves. The state Cable Board certifies approval of local franchising actions and acts as a source of problem resolution where needed. Because many of the new federal cable requirements have long been features of Minnesota's regulations, the effect of the federal hill's passage into law is minimal on cable systems in this slate. Some illustrations follow: - CCPA authorizes public, educational and governmental access channels. Minnesota already has such requirements and may continue them. - CCPA calls for the establishment of "commercial" or leased access channels on cable systems with certain channel capacities. Minnesota rules already require the availability of these channels. - CCPA establisnes subscriber privacy protection similar to the privacy protection already required of Minnesota franchises. They are complementary. - CCPA provides a Theft of Service section. Minnesota's criminal code statutes have long contained similar authority for prosecution of individuals unlawfully receiving cable service. - CCPA provides for freedom from basic rate regulation after 2 years. Minnesota has not regulated cable rates at the stale level, instead leaving that role to the discretion of municipalities. The Board's rules have required a 'ision setting forth the procedure for changh j rates, and its inclusion in the fee,, i,.,e was made optional in 1982. - CCPA establishes a franchise renewal process along with criteria for renewal. The .same general principle is contained in the Minnesota rule requiring negotiations for renewal to commence at least one year before franchise expiration. The new iederal lsw requires an earlier commencement of negotiations. - CCPA calls for an equal opportunity employment requirement for which the FCC will establish rules. Minnesota's existing rules on this subject should remain ;n effect until the FCC's rulemaking is completed. - CCPA establishes standards for system market value determination. These appear consistent with Minnesota's rule allowing municipal purchase of a cable system. - CCPA authorizes municipal ownership as do the Minnesota statutes. - CCPA contains a section on obscenity which appears congruent with Minnesota's rule. - CCPA has a section dealing with general franchise requirements which is consistent with Minnesota's established rules. - CCPA contains a section on easements for cable system construction similar to Minnesota's statutes on the subject adopted in 1983. The federal intent to preserve existing stale cable regulatory programs also means that municipalities in stales such as ours may enjoy the protective framework of franchising