Rep. Patrick J Verschoore

Filed: 5/13/2008

 

 


 

 


 
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1
AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 2074

2     AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 2074 by replacing
3 everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4     "Section 5. The Public Utilities Act is amended by adding
5 Sections 13-905 and 13-905.5 and by changing Section 21-1101 as
6 follows:
 
7     (220 ILCS 5/13-905 new)
8     Sec. 13-905. Mandatory overtime by telecommunications
9 carrier employees.
10     (a) A telecommunications carrier must maintain staffing
11 levels, as they existed on January 1, 2005, for employees who
12 maintain and repair all types of telecommunications access
13 facilities, including cable and auxiliary equipment.
14     (b) A telecommunications carrier shall not require
15 mandatory overtime if staffing levels fall below levels
16 specified in subsection (a) of this Section, except in the case

 

 

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1 of catastrophic events, such as a natural disaster or emergency
2 situation declared by the State.
3     (c) If a telecommunications carrier believes that an
4 emergency exists and that it must require mandatory overtime,
5 then the telecommunications carrier must provide written
6 notice to the Commission within 5 days after requiring the
7 mandatory overtime, detailing (i) the reason for the mandatory
8 overtime, (ii) the number of employees required to work
9 overtime, and (iii) the length or projected length of time that
10 overtime work was or is necessary. The telecommunications
11 carrier must also file notice with the Commission within 5 days
12 after completing mandatory overtime.
13     (d) If a telecommunications carrier violates this Section
14 by either failing to file notice with the Commission or by
15 failing to comply with subsection (a) of this Section and
16 requires mandatory overtime without necessity, then the
17 telecommunications carrier must pay a $10,000 fine to the
18 Commission for each employee that worked mandatory overtime in
19 violation of this Section.
 
20     (220 ILCS 5/13-905.5 new)
21     Sec. 13-905.5. Employee meetings; employer's opinion
22 prohibited.
23     (a) For purposes of this Section:
24     "Employee" means any person engaged in service to an
25 employer, as that term is defined in this Section.

 

 

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1     "Employer" means a holder or incumbent cable operator, as
2 those terms are defined in Section 21-201 of this Act.
3     "Labor organization" means any organization that exists
4 for the purpose, in whole or in part, of collective bargaining
5 or of dealing with employers concerning grievances, terms or
6 conditions of employment, or of other mutual aid or protection
7 in connection with employment.
8     (b) An employer shall not require an employee to attend a
9 meeting of which the primary purpose is to communicate the
10 employer's opinion concerning labor organizations.
 
11     (220 ILCS 5/21-1101)
12     (Section scheduled to be repealed on October 1, 2013)
13     Sec. 21-1101. Requirements to provide video services.
14     (a) The holder of a State-issued authorization shall not
15 deny access to cable service or video service to any potential
16 residential subscribers because of the race or income of the
17 residents in the local area in which the potential subscribers
18 reside.
19     (b)(1) If the holder is using telecommunications
20 facilities to provide cable or video service and has 1,000,000
21 or less telecommunications access lines in this State, but more
22 than 300,000 telecommunications access lines in this State, the
23 holder shall provide : (1) Provide access to its cable or video
24 service to a number of households equal to at least 25% of its
25 telecommunications access lines in this State within 3 years

 

 

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1 after the date a holder receives a State-issued authorization
2 from the Commission and to a number not less than 35% of these
3 households within 5 years after the date a holder receives a
4 State-issued authorization from the Commission; provided,
5 however, that the holder of a State-issued authorization is not
6 required to meet the 35% requirement in this paragraph (1)
7 subsection until 2 years after at least 15% of the households
8 with access to the holder's video service subscribe to the
9 service for 6 consecutive months. The holder's obligation to
10 provide such access in the State shall be distributed, as the
11 holder determines, within 3 three different designated market
12 areas.
13         (2) Within 3 years after the date a holder receives a
14     State-issued authorization from the Commission, at least
15     30% of the total households with access to the holder's
16     cable or video service shall be low-income.
17         Within each designated market area identified in
18     paragraph (1) of this subsection (b) (b)(1), the holder's
19     obligation to offer service to low-income households shall
20     be measured by each exchange, as that term is defined in
21     Section 13-206 of this the Public Utilities Act, in which
22     the holder chooses to provide cable or video service. The
23     holder is under no obligation to serve or provide access to
24     an entire exchange; however, in addition to the statewide
25     obligation to provide low-income access provided by this
26     Section, in each exchange in which the holder chooses to

 

 

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1     provide cable or video service, the holder shall provide
2     access to a percentage of low-income households that is at
3     least equal to the percentage of the total low-income
4     households within that exchange.
5         (3) The number of telecommunication access lines in
6     this Section shall be based on the number of access lines
7     that exist as of June 30, 2007 (the effective date of
8     Public Act 95-9) this amendatory Act of the 95th General
9     Assembly.
10     A holder of a State-issued authorization shall provide the
11 Commission with a service area footprint, as defined in
12 subsection (j) of Section 21-201 of this Article, or a list of
13 municipalities included in the service area footprint within 60
14 days after receiving authorization or 60 days after the
15 effective date of this amendatory Act of the 95th General
16 Assembly, whichever is later. The information shall also be
17 provided to the public. If a holder of a State-issued
18 authorization deems the footprint to be proprietary
19 information or refuses to disclose a footprint or list of
20 municipalities, then the holder shall provide access to its
21 cable or video service to a number of households equal to at
22 least 50% of the households in the holder's telecommunications
23 service area in the State within 3 years after the date the
24 holder receives a State-issued authorization from the
25 Commission and to a number not less than 65% of these
26 households within 5 years after the date the holder receives a

 

 

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1 State-issued authorization from the Commission; provided,
2 however, that the holder of a State-issued authorization is not
3 required to meet the 65% requirement in subsection (c) of this
4 Section until 2 years after at least 15% of the households with
5 access to the holder's video service subscribe to the service
6 for 6 consecutive months.
7     (c)(1) If the holder of a State-issued authorization is
8 using telecommunications facilities to provide cable or video
9 service and has more than 1,000,000 telecommunications access
10 lines in this State, the holder shall provide : (1)(A) Provide
11 access to its cable or video service to a number of households
12 equal to at least 35% of the households in the holder's
13 telecommunications service area in the State within 3 years
14 after the date a holder receives a State-issued authorization
15 from the Commission and to a number not less than 50% of these
16 households within 5 years after the date a holder receives a
17 State-issued authorization from the Commission; provided,
18 however, that the holder of a State-issued authorization is not
19 required to meet the 50% requirement in this paragraph (1)
20 subsection until 2 years after at least 15% of the households
21 with access to the holder's video service subscribe to the
22 service for 6 consecutive months.
23     The holder's obligation to provide such access in the State
24 shall be distributed, as the holder determines, within 3 three
25 designated market areas, one in each of the northeastern,
26 central, and southwestern portions of the holder's

 

 

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1 telecommunications service area in the State. The designated
2 market area for the northeastern portion shall consist of 2 two
3 separate and distinct reporting areas: (i) a city with more
4 than 1,000,000 inhabitants, and (ii) all other local units of
5 government on a combined basis within such designated market
6 area in which it offers video service. A holder of a
7 State-issued authorization shall provide the Commission with a
8 service area footprint, as defined in subsection (j) of Section
9 21-201 of this Article, or a list of municipalities included in
10 the service area footprint within 60 days after receiving
11 authorization or 60 days after the effective date of this
12 amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly. The information
13 shall also be provided to the public. If a holder of a
14 State-issued authorization deems the footprint to be
15 proprietary information or refuses to disclose a footprint or
16 list of municipalities, then the holder shall provide access to
17 its cable or video service to a number of households equal to
18 at least 50% of the households in the holder's
19 telecommunications service area in the State within 3 years
20 after the date the holder receives a State-issued authorization
21 from the Commission and to a number not less than 65% of these
22 households within 5 years after the date the holder receives a
23 State-issued authorization from the Commission; provided,
24 however, that the holder of a State-issued authorization is not
25 required to meet the 65% requirement in this subsection (c)
26 until 2 years after at least 15% of the households with access

 

 

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1 to the holder's video service subscribe to the service for 6
2 consecutive months.
3     (B) If any state, in which a holder subject to this
4 subsection (c) or one of its affiliates provides or seeks to
5 provide cable or video service, adopts a law permitting
6 state-issued authorization or statewide franchises to provide
7 cable or video service that requires a cable or video provider
8 to offer service to more than 35% of the households in the
9 cable or video provider's service area in that state within 3
10 years, holders subject to this subsection (c) shall provide
11 service in this State to the same percentage of households
12 within 3 years of adoption of such law in that state.
13     Furthermore, if any state, in which a holder subject to
14 this subsection (c) or one of its affiliates provides or seeks
15 to provide cable or video service, adopts a law requiring a
16 holder of a state-issued authorization or statewide franchises
17 to offer cable or video service to more than 35% of its
18 households if less than 15% of the households with access to
19 the holder's video service subscribe to the service for 6
20 consecutive months, then as a precondition to further
21 build-out, holders subject to this subsection (c) shall be
22 subject to the same percentage of service subscription in
23 meeting its obligation to provide service to 50% of the
24 households in this State.
25         (2) Within 3 years after the date a holder receives a
26     State-issued authorization from the Commission, at least

 

 

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1     30% of the total households with access to the holder's
2     cable or video service shall be low-income.
3         Within each designated market area listed in paragraph
4     (1) of this subsection (c) (c)(1), the holder's obligation
5     to offer service to low-income households shall be measured
6     by each exchange, as that term is defined in Section 13-206
7     of this the Public Utilities Act in which the holder
8     chooses to provide cable or video service. The holder is
9     under no obligation to serve or provide access to an entire
10     exchange; however, in addition to the statewide obligation
11     to provide low-income access provided by this Section, in
12     each exchange in which the holder chooses to provide cable
13     or video service, the holder shall provide access to a
14     percentage of low-income households that is at least equal
15     to the percentage of the total low-income households within
16     that exchange.
17     (d)(1) All other holders shall only provide access to one
18 or more exchanges, as that term is defined in Section 13-206 of
19 this the Public Utilities Act, or to local units of government
20 and shall provide access to their cable or video service to a
21 number of households equal to 35% of the households in the
22 exchange or local unit of government within 3 years after the
23 date a holder receives a State-issued authorization from the
24 Commission and to a number not less than 50% of these
25 households within 5 years after the date a holder receives a
26 State-issued authorization from the Commission, provided,

 

 

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1 however, that if the holder is an incumbent cable operator or
2 any successor-in-interest company, it shall be obligated to
3 provide access to cable or video services within the
4 jurisdiction of a local unit of government at the same levels
5 required by the local franchising authorities for that local
6 unit of government on June 30, 2007 (the effective date of
7 Public Act 95-9) this amendatory Act of the 95th General
8 Assembly.
9         (2) Within 3 years after the date a holder receives a
10     State-issued authorization from the Commission, at least
11     30% of the total households with access to the holder's
12     cable or video service shall be low-income.
13         Within each designated exchange, as that term is
14     defined in Section 13-206 of this the Public Utilities Act,
15     or local unit of government listed in paragraph (1) of this
16     subsection (d) (d)(1), the holder's obligation to offer
17     service to low-income households shall be measured by each
18     exchange or local unit of government in which the holder
19     chooses to provide cable or video service. Except as
20     provided in paragraph (1) of this subsection (d) (d)(1),
21     the holder is under no obligation to serve or provide
22     access to an entire exchange or local unit of government;
23     however, in addition to the statewide obligation to provide
24     low-income access provided by this Section, in each
25     exchange or local unit of government in which the holder
26     chooses to provide cable or video service, the holder shall

 

 

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1     provide access to a percentage of low-income households
2     that is at least equal to the percentage of the total
3     low-income households within that exchange or local unit of
4     government.
5         A holder of a State-issued authorization shall provide
6     the Commission with a service area footprint, as defined in
7     subsection (j) of Section 21-201 of this Article, or a list
8     of municipalities included in the service area footprint
9     within 60 days after receiving authorization or 60 days
10     after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 95th
11     General Assembly. The information shall also be provided to
12     the public. If a holder of a State-issued authorization
13     deems the footprint to be proprietary information or
14     refuses to disclose a footprint or list of municipalities,
15     then the holder shall provide access to its cable or video
16     service to a number of households equal to at least 50% of
17     the households in the holder's telecommunications service
18     area in the State within 3 years after the date the holder
19     receives a State-issued authorization from the Commission
20     and to a number not less than 65% of these households
21     within 5 years after the date the holder receives a
22     State-issued authorization from the Commission; provided,
23     however, that the holder of a State-issued authorization is
24     not required to meet the 65% requirement in subsection (c)
25     of this Section until 2 years after at least 15% of the
26     households with access to the holder's video service

 

 

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1     subscribe to the service for 6 consecutive months.
2     (e) A holder subject to subsection (c) of this Section
3 21-1101(c) shall provide wireline broadband service, defined
4 as wireline service, capable of supporting, in at least one
5 direction, a speed in excess of 200 kilobits per second (kbps),
6 to the network demarcation point at the subscriber's premises,
7 to a number of households equal to 90% of the households in the
8 holder's telecommunications service area by December 31, 2008,
9 or shall pay within 30 days of December 31, 2008 a sum of
10 $15,000,000 to the Digital Divide Elimination Infrastructure
11 Fund established pursuant to Section 13-301.3 of Article XIII
12 of this Act, or any successor fund established by the General
13 Assembly. In that event the holder is required to make a
14 payment pursuant to this subsection (e), the holder shall have
15 no further accounting for this payment, which shall be used in
16 any part of the State for the purposes established in the
17 Digital Divide Elimination Infrastructure Fund or for
18 broadband deployment.
19     (f) The holder of a State-issued authorization may satisfy
20 the requirements of subsections (b), (c), and (d) of this
21 Section through the use of any technology, which shall not
22 include direct-to-home satellite service, that offers service,
23 functionality, and content that , which is demonstrably similar
24 to that provided through the holder's video service system.
25     (g) In any investigation into or complaint alleging that
26 the holder of a State-issued authorization has failed to meet

 

 

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1 the requirements of this Section, the following factors may be
2 considered in justification or mitigation or as justification
3 for an extension of time to meet the requirements of
4 subsections (b), (c), and (d) of this Section:
5         (1) The inability to obtain access to public and
6     private rights-of-way under reasonable terms and
7     conditions.
8         (2) Barriers to competition arising from existing
9     exclusive service arrangements in developments or
10     buildings.
11         (3) The inability to access developments or buildings
12     using reasonable technical solutions under commercially
13     reasonable terms and conditions.
14         (4) Natural disasters.
15         (5) Other factors beyond the control of the holder.
16     (h) If the holder relies on the factors identified in
17 subsection (g) of this Section in response to an investigation
18 or complaint, the holder shall demonstrate the following:
19         (1) what substantial effort the holder of a
20     State-issued authorization has taken to meet the
21     requirements of subsection subsections (a), (b), or (c) of
22     this Section;
23         (2) which portions of subsection (g) of this Section
24     apply; and
25         (3) the number of days it has been delayed or the
26     requirements it cannot perform as a consequence of

 

 

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1     subsection (g) of this Section.
2     (i) The factors in subsection (g) of this Section may be
3 considered by the Attorney General or by a court of competent
4 jurisdiction in determining whether the holder is in violation
5 of this Article.
6     (j) Every holder of a State-issued authorization, no later
7 than April 1, 2009, and annually no later than April 1
8 thereafter, shall report to the Commission for each of the
9 service areas as described in subsections (b), (c), and (d) of
10 this Section in which it provides access to its video service
11 in the State, the following information:
12         (1) Cable service and video service information:
13             (A) The number of households in the holder's
14         telecommunications service area within each designated
15         market area as described in subsections (b) and (c) of
16         this Section or exchange or local unit of government as
17         described in subsection (d) of this Section in which it
18         offers video service.
19             (B) The number of households in the holder's
20         telecommunications service area within each designated
21         market area as described in subsections (b) and (c) of
22         this Section or exchange or local unit of government as
23         described in subsection (d) of this Section that are
24         offered access to video service by the holder.
25             (C) The number of households in the holder's
26         telecommunications service area in the State.

 

 

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1             (D) The number of households in the holder's
2         telecommunications service area in the State that are
3         offered access to video service by the holder.
4         (2) Low-income household information:
5             (A) The number of low-income households in the
6         holder's telecommunications service area within each
7         designated market area as described in subsections (b)
8         and (c) of this Section, as further identified in terms
9         of exchanges, or exchange or local unit of government
10         as described in subsection (d) of this Section, in
11         which it offers video service.
12             (B) The number of low-income households in the
13         holder's telecommunications service area within each
14         designated market area as described in subsections (b)
15         and (c) of this Section, as further identified in terms
16         of exchanges, or exchange or local unit of government
17         as described in subsection (d) of this Section in the
18         State, that are offered access to video service by the
19         holder.
20             (C) The number of low-income households in the
21         holder's telecommunications service area in the State.
22             (D) The number of low-income households in the
23         holder's telecommunications service area in the State
24         that are offered access to video service by the holder.
25     (k) The Commission, within 30 days of receiving the first
26 report from holders under this Section, and annually no later

 

 

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1 than July 1 thereafter, shall submit to the General Assembly a
2 report that includes, based on year-end data, the information
3 submitted by holders pursuant to subdivisions (1) and (2) of
4 subsection (j) subsections (j)(1) and (j)(2) of this Section.
5 The Commission shall make this report available to any member
6 of the public or any local unit of government upon request. All
7 information submitted to the Commission and designated by
8 holders as confidential and proprietary shall be subject to the
9 disclosure provisions in subsection (c) of Section 21-401 of
10 this Act 21-401(c). No individually identifiable customer
11 information shall be subject to public disclosure.
12 (Source: P.A. 95-9, eff. 6-30-07; revised 7-9-07.)
 
13     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
14 becoming law.".