HB6576 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB093 21215 BDD 47317 b

93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2003 and 2004
HB6576

Introduced 2/6/2004, by Monique D. Davis

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

55 ILCS 5/5-1096.5 new
65 ILCS 5/11-42-11.2 new

Amends the Counties Code and the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that a community antenna television franchisee may not terminate service to any customer unless the franchisee first sends written notice of termination to the customer through the U.S. mail, return receipt requested, which states the date of the termination. Provides that the franchisee must provide a refund to each customer that is subject to a service interruption caused by conditions that are in the franchisee's control. Provides that no franchisee may charge more than $50 per month for any cable service.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning the regulation of cable television.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Counties Code is amended by adding Section 5-1096.5 as follows:

(55 ILCS 5/5-1096.5 new)

Sec. 5-1096.5. Community antenna television systems; consumer protection.

(a) A community antenna television franchisee may not terminate service to any customer unless the franchisee sends written notice of termination to the customer through the U.S. mail, return receipt requested. The notice must state which date the service will be terminated, which may not be less than 10 days after the date that the customer receives the notice.

(b) The franchisee must provide a refund to each customer that is subject to a service interruption caused by conditions that are in the franchisee's control. The refund shall be for the entire day on which the interruption occurs and for each additional day the interruption continues. The refund shall apply to all services interrupted. In the case of an outage, the franchisee must provide a refund regardless of whether the customer requests a refund or otherwise contacts the franchisee. In the case of a service interruption that is not part of an outage, the franchisee must provide a refund if the customer requests a refund or otherwise contacts the franchisee about the service interruption. Refund checks must be issued promptly, but no later than either (i) the customer's next billing cycle following resolution of the request or 30 days, whichever is earlier, or (ii) upon the return of the equipment supplied by the franchisee if the service is terminated.

(c) No franchisee may charge more than $50 per month for any cable service.

Section 10. The Illinois Municipal Code is amended by adding Section 11-42-11.2 as follows:

(65 ILCS 5/11-42-11.2 new)

Sec. 11-42-11.2. Community antenna television systems; consumer protection.

(a) A community antenna television franchisee may not terminate service to any customer unless the franchisee sends written notice of termination to the customer through the U.S. mail, return receipt requested. The notice must state which date the service will be terminated, which may not be less than 10 days after the date that the customer receives the notice.

(b) The franchisee must provide a refund to each customer that is subject to a service interruption caused by conditions that are in the franchisee's control. The refund shall be for the entire day on which the interruption occurs and for each additional day the interruption continues. The refund shall apply to all services interrupted. In the case of an outage, the franchisee must provide a refund regardless of whether the customer requests a refund or otherwise contacts the franchisee. In the case of a service interruption that is not part of an outage, the franchisee must provide a refund if the customer requests a refund or otherwise contacts the franchisee about the service interruption. Refund checks must be issued promptly, but no later than either (i) the customer's next billing cycle following resolution of the request or 30 days, whichever is earlier, or (ii) upon the return of the equipment supplied by the franchisee if the service is terminated.

(c) No franchisee may charge more than $50 per month for any cable service.