State of Illinois
90th General Assembly
Legislation

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90_SB0999ham001

                                           LRB9001711JSmgam05
 1                    AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 999
 2        AMENDMENT NO.     .  Amend Senate Bill 999  by  replacing
 3    the title with the following:
 4        "AN  ACT concerning community antenna television systems,
 5    amending named Acts."; and
 6    by replacing everything after the enacting  clause  with  the
 7    following:
 8        "Section  5.  The  Counties  Code  is amended by changing
 9    Section 5-1095 as follows:
10        (55 ILCS 5/5-1095) (from Ch. 34, par. 5-1095)
11        Sec.  5-1095.  Community  antenna   television   systems;
12    satellite transmitted television programming.
13        (a)  The  County  Board may license, tax or franchise the
14    business of operating a community antenna  television  system
15    or  systems  within the County and outside of a municipality,
16    as defined in Section 1-1-2 of the Illinois Municipal Code.
17        When an area is annexed to a municipality,  the  annexing
18    municipality  shall  thereby become the franchising authority
19    with  respect  to  that  portion  of  any  community  antenna
20    television system that, immediately  before  annexation,  had
21    provided  cable  television  services within the annexed area
                            -2-            LRB9001711JSmgam05
 1    under a franchise granted by the county,  and  the  owner  of
 2    that  community  antenna  television  system shall thereby be
 3    authorized to provide cable television  services  within  the
 4    annexed  area  under the terms and provisions of the existing
 5    franchise.  In that instance, the franchise shall  remain  in
 6    effect  until,  by  its  terms,  it  expires, except that any
 7    franchise fees payable under the franchise shall  be  payable
 8    only  to  the county for a period of 5 years or until, by its
 9    terms, the franchise expires, whichever occurs first.   After
10    the  5  year  period,  any  franchise  fees payable under the
11    franchise shall be paid to the annexing municipality.  In any
12    instance  in  which  a  duly  franchised  community   antenna
13    television  system  is  providing  cable  television services
14    within the annexing municipality at the time  of  annexation,
15    the  annexing  municipality  may  permit  that  franchisee to
16    extend its community antenna television system to the annexed
17    area under terms and conditions that are no  more  burdensome
18    nor  less  favorable  to  that  franchisee than those imposed
19    under any community antenna television  franchise  applicable
20    to  the  annexed  area  at  the  time  of  annexation.    The
21    authorization  to  extend  cable  television  service  to the
22    annexed area and  any  community  antenna  television  system
23    authorized  to  provide  cable television services within the
24    annexed area at the time of annexation shall not  be  subject
25    to the provisions of subsection (e) of this Section.
26        (b)  "Community  antenna  television  system"  as used in
27    this Section, means any  facility  which  is  constructed  in
28    whole  or  in part in, on, under or over any highway or other
29    public place and which is operated to perform  for  hire  the
30    service  of receiving and amplifying the signals broadcast by
31    one or  more  television  stations  and  redistributing  such
32    signals  by  wire,  cable  or  other  means to members of the
33    public who subscribe to such service except  that  such  term
34    does  not  include  (i) any system which serves fewer than 50
                            -3-            LRB9001711JSmgam05
 1    subscribers  or  (ii)  any  system  which  serves  only   the
 2    residents  of  one  or  more apartment dwellings under common
 3    ownership,   control   or    management,    and    commercial
 4    establishments located on the premises of such dwellings.
 5        (c)  The  authority  hereby  granted does not include the
 6    authority to license or franchise telephone companies subject
 7    to the jurisdiction of the Illinois  Commerce  Commission  or
 8    the  Federal  Communications  Commission  in  connection with
 9    furnishing circuits, wires, cables or other facilities to the
10    operator of a community antenna television system.
11        The County Board may, in the course of  franchising  such
12    community antenna television system, grant to such franchisee
13    the  authority and the right and permission to use all public
14    streets, rights of  way,  alleys,  ways  for  public  service
15    facilities,  parks,  playgrounds,  school  grounds,  or other
16    public grounds, in which such county may  have  an  interest,
17    for  the  construction, installation, operation, maintenance,
18    alteration, addition, extension or improvement of a community
19    antenna television system.
20        Any charge imposed  by  a  community  antenna  television
21    system franchised pursuant to this Section for the raising or
22    removal of cables or lines to permit passage on, to or from a
23    street   shall  not  exceed  the  reasonable  costs  of  work
24    reasonably necessary to safely permit such passage.  Pursuant
25    to subsections (h) and (i) of Section 6 of Article VII of the
26    Constitution of the State of Illinois, the  General  Assembly
27    declares  the  regulation  of charges which may be imposed by
28    community antenna  television  systems  for  the  raising  or
29    removal  of  cables or lines to permit passage on, to or from
30    streets is a power or function to be exercised exclusively by
31    the State and not to be exercised or  performed  concurrently
32    with the State by any unit of local government, including any
33    home rule unit.
34        The  County  Board  may,  upon  written  request  by  the
                            -4-            LRB9001711JSmgam05
 1    franchisee of a community antenna television system, exercise
 2    its  right  of  eminent  domain  solely  for  the  purpose of
 3    granting an easement right no greater than 8 feet  in  width,
 4    extending  no  greater  than 8 feet from any lot line for the
 5    purpose of extending cable across any parcel of  property  in
 6    the  manner  provided  for  by  the  law  of  eminent domain,
 7    provided, however, such franchisee deposits with  the  county
 8    sufficient  security  to pay all costs incurred by the county
 9    in the exercise of its right of eminent domain.
10        Except  as  specifically  provided  otherwise   in   this
11    Section,  this  Section  is not a limitation on any home rule
12    county.
13        (d)  The  General  Assembly  finds  and   declares   that
14    satellite-transmitted   television   programming   should  be
15    available  to  those  who  desire  to   subscribe   to   such
16    programming and that decoding devices should be obtainable at
17    reasonable   prices   by  those  who  are  unable  to  obtain
18    satellite-transmitted  television  programming  through  duly
19    franchised community antenna television systems.
20        In any instance in which a person  is  unable  to  obtain
21    satellite-transmitted  television  programming through a duly
22    franchised community antenna television system either because
23    the municipality and county in which such person resides  has
24    not  granted  a franchise to operate and maintain a community
25    antenna television system, or  because  the  duly  franchised
26    community  antenna  television  system operator does not make
27    cable television  services  available  to  such  person,  any
28    programming   company   that  delivers  satellite-transmitted
29    television programming in scrambled or encrypted  form  shall
30    ensure  that  devices  for decryption of such programming are
31    made available to such person, through  the  local  community
32    antenna  television  operator  or  directly,  for purchase or
33    lease at prices reasonably related to the cost of manufacture
34    and distribution of such devices.
                            -5-            LRB9001711JSmgam05
 1        (e)  The General Assembly finds  and  declares  that,  in
 2    order  to  ensure  that community antenna television services
 3    are provided in  an  orderly,  competitive  and  economically
 4    sound manner, the best interests of the public will be served
 5    by   the  establishment  of  certain  minimum  standards  and
 6    procedures for the granting of  additional  cable  television
 7    franchises.
 8        Subject   to  the  provisions  of  this  subsection,  the
 9    authority granted under subsection (a) hereof  shall  include
10    the  authority  to  license,  franchise and tax more than one
11    cable  operator  to  provide  community  antenna   television
12    services   within   the   territorial   limits  of  a  single
13    franchising authority.  For purposes of this subsection  (e),
14    the term:
15             (i)  "Existing  cable  television franchise" means a
16        community  antenna  television  franchise  granted  by  a
17        county which is in use at the time such  county  receives
18        an application or request by another cable operator for a
19        franchise  to  provide  cable antenna television services
20        within all or any portion of the territorial  area  which
21        is  or  may be served under the existing cable television
22        franchise.
23             (ii)  "Additional cable television franchise"  means
24        a   franchise   pursuant   to   which  community  antenna
25        television  services   may   be   provided   within   the
26        territorial  areas,  or any portion thereof, which may be
27        served under an existing cable television franchise.
28             (iii)  "Franchising Authority" is  defined  as  that
29        term  is  defined  under  Section  602(9)  of  the  Cable
30        Communications Policy Act of 1984, Public Law 98-549.
31             (iv)  "Cable  operator"  is  defined as that term is
32        defined under Section 602(4) of the Cable  Communications
33        Policy Act of 1984, Public Law 98-549.
34        Before granting an additional cable television franchise,
                            -6-            LRB9001711JSmgam05
 1    the franchising authority shall:
 2             (1)  Give written notice to the owner or operator of
 3        any  other community antenna television system franchised
 4        to serve all or any portion of the territorial area to be
 5        served by such  additional  cable  television  franchise,
 6        identifying  the  applicant for such additional franchise
 7        and specifying the date, time  and  place  at  which  the
 8        franchising  authority  shall  conduct public hearings to
 9        consider and  determine  whether  such  additional  cable
10        television franchise should be granted.
11             (2)  Conduct  a  public  hearing  to  determine  the
12        public   need   for   such  additional  cable  television
13        franchise,  the  capacity  of  public  rights-of-way   to
14        accommodate  such additional community antenna television
15        services, the potential disruption to existing  users  of
16        public  rights-of-way  to  be  used  by  such  additional
17        franchise  applicant  to  complete  construction  and  to
18        provide  cable  television  services  within the proposed
19        franchise area, the long term  economic  impact  of  such
20        additional  cable television system within the community,
21        and such other factors as the franchising authority shall
22        deem appropriate.
23             (3)  Determine, based upon  the  foregoing  factors,
24        whether  it  is  in  the  best  interest  of  the  county
25        municipality  to  grant  such additional cable television
26        franchise.
27             (4)  If the franchising  authority  shall  determine
28        that   it   is   in  the  best  interest  of  the  county
29        municipality to do so, it may grant the additional  cable
30        television  franchise.   Except  as provided in paragraph
31        (5)  of  this  subsection  (e),  provided  that  no  such
32        additional cable television franchise  shall  be  granted
33        under   terms   or  conditions  more  favorable  or  less
34        burdensome to the applicant than those required under the
                            -7-            LRB9001711JSmgam05
 1        existing cable television franchise,  including  but  not
 2        limited   to  terms  and  conditions  pertaining  to  the
 3        territorial  extent  of  the  franchise,  system  design,
 4        technical performance standards, construction  schedules,
 5        performance   bonds,   standards   for  construction  and
 6        installation of cable television facilities,  service  to
 7        subscribers,  public  educational and governmental access
 8        channels   and   programming,   production    assistance,
 9        liability and indemnification, and franchise fees.
10             (5)  Unless  the existing cable television franchise
11        provides that any additional cable  television  franchise
12        shall  be  subject  to  the  same  terms or substantially
13        equivalent terms and conditions as those of the  existing
14        cable television franchise, the franchising authority may
15        grant  an  additional  cable  television  franchise under
16        different terms and conditions than those of the existing
17        franchise, in which event the franchising authority shall
18        enter into good  faith  negotiations  with  the  existing
19        franchisee and shall, within 120 days after the effective
20        date of the additional cable television franchise, modify
21        the  existing  cable television franchise in a manner and
22        to the  extent  necessary  to  ensure  that  neither  the
23        existing  cable  television  franchise nor the additional
24        cable  television  franchise,  each  considered  in   its
25        entirety,  provides  a  competitive  advantage  over  the
26        other,  provided  that  prior  to  modifying the existing
27        cable television  franchise,  the  franchising  authority
28        shall  have  conducted  a  public hearing to consider the
29        proposed modification.   No modification in the terms and
30        conditions of the  existing  cable  television  franchise
31        shall oblige the existing cable television franchisee (1)
32        to   make  any  additional  payment  to  the  franchising
33        authority,  including  the  payment  of  any   additional
34        franchise   fee,   (2)   to   engage  in  any  additional
                            -8-            LRB9001711JSmgam05
 1        construction of the existing cable television system  or,
 2        (3)  to  modify  the  specifications  or  design  of  the
 3        existing  cable  television  system; and the inclusion of
 4        the factors identified in items (2) and (3) shall not  be
 5        considered   in   determining  whether  either  franchise
 6        considered in its entirety, has a  competitive  advantage
 7        over  the  other except to the extent that the additional
 8        franchisee provides additional video or data services  or
 9        the  equipment or facilities necessary to generate and or
10        carry such service.   No modification in  the  terms  and
11        conditions  of  the  existing  cable television franchise
12        shall be made if the existing cable television franchisee
13        elects  to  continue  to  operate  under  all  terms  and
14        conditions of the existing franchise.
15             If  within  the  120  day  period  the   franchising
16        authority  and  the  existing cable television franchisee
17        are unable to reach agreement  on  modifications  to  the
18        existing cable television franchise, then the franchising
19        authority  shall  modify  the  existing  cable television
20        franchise, effective 45 days thereafter, in a manner, and
21        only to the extent, that the terms and conditions of  the
22        existing  cable  television  franchise  shall  no  longer
23        impose  any duty or obligation on the existing franchisee
24        which is not also  imposed  under  the  additional  cable
25        television franchise; however, if by the modification the
26        existing  cable  television  franchisee  is  relieved  of
27        duties  or  obligations  not imposed under the additional
28        cable television franchise, then within the same 45  days
29        and following a public hearing concerning modification of
30        the  additional cable television franchise within that 45
31        day period, the franchising authority  shall  modify  the
32        additional  cable  television  franchise  to  the  extent
33        necessary  to  insure  that  neither  the  existing cable
34        television franchise nor the additional cable  television
                            -9-            LRB9001711JSmgam05
 1        franchise,  each considered in its entirety, shall have a
 2        competitive advantage over the other.
 3        No county shall be subject to suit for damages based upon
 4    the county's determination to grant or its refusal  to  grant
 5    an  additional  cable  television  franchise, provided that a
 6    public hearing as herein  provided  has  been  held  and  the
 7    franchising  authority  has  determined that it is not in the
 8    best interest of the county to grant or refuse to grant  such
 9    additional franchise, as the case may be.
10        It  is  declared to be the law of this State, pursuant to
11    paragraphs (h) and (i) of Section 6 of  Article  VII  of  the
12    Illinois  Constitution,  that  the  establishment  of minimum
13    standards and procedures for the granting of additional cable
14    television franchises as provided in this subsection  (e)  is
15    an  exclusive  State  power  and  function  that  may  not be
16    exercised concurrently by a home rule unit.
17    (Source: P.A. 86-962; 86-1410; revised 1-27-97.)
18        Section 10.  The Illinois Municipal Code  is  amended  by
19    changing Section 11-42-11 as follows:
20        (65 ILCS 5/11-42-11) (from Ch. 24, par. 11-42-11)
21        Sec.  11-42-11.   Community  antenna  television systems;
22    satellite transmitted television programming.
23        (a) The corporate authorities of  each  municipality  may
24    license,  franchise  and  tax  the  business  of  operating a
25    community antenna television system as  hereinafter  defined.
26    In  municipalities  with less than 2,000,000 inhabitants, the
27    corporate authorities  may  own  (or  lease  as  lessee)  and
28    operate   a  community  antenna  television  system.   Before
29    acquiring,  constructing,  or  commencing  operation   of   a
30    community  antenna  television system, the municipality shall
31    comply with the following:
32             (1)  Give written notice to the owner or operator of
                            -10-           LRB9001711JSmgam05
 1        any other community antenna television system  franchised
 2        to serve all or any portion of the territorial area to be
 3        served by the municipality's community antenna television
 4        system, specifying the date, time, and place at which the
 5        municipality  shall  conduct  public hearings to consider
 6        and determine whether the  municipality  should  acquire,
 7        construct,  or  commence operation of a community antenna
 8        television  system.   The  public   hearings   shall   be
 9        conducted at least 14 days after this notice is given.
10             (2)  Publish  a  notice  of the hearing in 2 or more
11        newspapers  published  in  the  county,  city,   village,
12        incorporated town, or town, as the case may be.  If there
13        is  no  such newspaper, then notice shall be published in
14        any 2 or more newspapers  published  in  the  county  and
15        having  a  general  circulation throughout the community.
16        The public hearings shall be conducted at least  14  days
17        after this notice is given.
18             (3)  Conduct a public hearing to determine the means
19        by  which construction, maintenance, and operation of the
20        system will be financed, including whether the use of tax
21        revenues or other fees will be required.
22        (b)  The  words  "community  antenna  television  system"
23    shall mean any facility which is constructed in whole  or  in
24    part  in, on, under or over any highway or other public place
25    and which is operated to perform  for  hire  the  service  of
26    receiving and amplifying the signals broadcast by one or more
27    television  stations and redistributing such signals by wire,
28    cable or other means to members of the public  who  subscribe
29    to  such  service;  except  that  such  definition  shall not
30    include  (i)  any  system  which  serves  fewer  than   fifty
31    subscribers,  or  (ii)  any  system  which  serves  only  the
32    residents  of  one  or  more apartment dwellings under common
33    ownership,   control   or    management,    and    commercial
34    establishments located on the premises of such dwellings.
                            -11-           LRB9001711JSmgam05
 1        (c)  The   authority  hereby  granted  does  not  include
 2    authority to license, franchise or  tax  telephone  companies
 3    subject  to  jurisdiction of the Illinois Commerce Commission
 4    or the Federal Communications Commission in  connection  with
 5    the   furnishing   of  circuits,  wires,  cables,  and  other
 6    facilities to the operator of a community antenna  television
 7    system.
 8        The  corporate  authorities  of each municipality may, in
 9    the course of franchising such community  antenna  television
10    system,  grant to such franchisee the authority and the right
11    and permission to use all  public  streets,  rights  of  way,
12    alleys,   ways   for   public   service   facilities,  parks,
13    playgrounds, school grounds,  or  other  public  grounds,  in
14    which  such  municipality  may  have  an  interest,  for  the
15    construction,     installation,    operation,    maintenance,
16    alteration, addition, extension or improvement of a community
17    antenna television system.
18        Any charge imposed  by  a  community  antenna  television
19    system franchised pursuant to this Section for the raising or
20    removal of cables or lines to permit passage on, to or from a
21    street   shall  not  exceed  the  reasonable  costs  of  work
22    reasonably necessary to safely permit such passage.  Pursuant
23    to subsections (h) and (i) of Section 6 of Article VII of the
24    Constitution of the State of Illinois, the  General  Assembly
25    declares  the  regulation  of charges which may be imposed by
26    community antenna  television  systems  for  the  raising  or
27    removal  of  cables or lines to permit passage on, to or from
28    streets is a power or function to be exercised exclusively by
29    the State and not to be exercised or  performed  concurrently
30    with the State by any unit of local government, including any
31    home rule unit.
32        The   municipality  may,  upon  written  request  by  the
33    franchisee of a community antenna television system, exercise
34    its right  of  eminent  domain  solely  for  the  purpose  of
                            -12-           LRB9001711JSmgam05
 1    granting  an  easement right no greater than 8 feet in width,
 2    extending no greater than 8 feet from any lot  line  for  the
 3    purpose  of  extending cable across any parcel of property in
 4    the manner provided by the law of eminent  domain,  provided,
 5    however,  such  franchisee  deposits  with  the  municipality
 6    sufficient   security  to  pay  all  costs  incurred  by  the
 7    municipality in the exercise of its right of eminent domain.
 8        (d)  The  General  Assembly  finds  and   declares   that
 9    satellite-transmitted   television   programming   should  be
10    available  to  those  who  desire  to   subscribe   to   such
11    programming and that decoding devices should be obtainable at
12    reasonable   prices   by  those  who  are  unable  to  obtain
13    satellite-transmitted  television  programming  through  duly
14    franchised community antenna television systems.
15        In any instance in which a person  is  unable  to  obtain
16    satellite-transmitted  television  programming through a duly
17    franchised community antenna television system either because
18    the municipality and county in which such person resides  has
19    not  granted  a franchise to operate and maintain a community
20    antenna television system, or  because  the  duly  franchised
21    community  antenna  television  system operator does not make
22    cable television  services  available  to  such  person,  any
23    programming   company   that  delivers  satellite-transmitted
24    television programming in scrambled or encrypted  form  shall
25    ensure  that  devices for description of such programming are
26    made available to such person, through  the  local  community
27    antenna  television  operator  or  directly,  for purchase or
28    lease at prices reasonably related to the cost of manufacture
29    and distribution of such devices.
30        (e)  The General Assembly finds  and  declares  that,  in
31    order  to  ensure  that community antenna television services
32    are provided in  an  orderly,  competitive  and  economically
33    sound manner, the best interests of the public will be served
34    by   the  establishment  of  certain  minimum  standards  and
                            -13-           LRB9001711JSmgam05
 1    procedures for the granting of  additional  cable  television
 2    franchises.
 3        Subject   to  the  provisions  of  this  subsection,  the
 4    authority granted under subsection (a) hereof  shall  include
 5    the  authority  to  license,  franchise and tax more than one
 6    cable  operator  to  provide  community  antenna   television
 7    services  within the corporate limits of a single franchising
 8    authority.  For purposes of this subsection (e), the term:
 9             (i)  "Existing cable television franchise"  means  a
10        community  antenna  television  franchise  granted  by  a
11        municipality   which   is   in   use  at  the  time  such
12        municipality  receives  an  application  or  request   by
13        another  cable  operator for a franchise to provide cable
14        antenna television services within all or any portion  of
15        the  territorial area which is or may be served under the
16        existing cable television franchise.
17             (ii)  "Additional cable television franchise"  means
18        a   franchise   pursuant   to   which  community  antenna
19        television  services   may   be   provided   within   the
20        territorial  areas,  or any portion thereof, which may be
21        served under an existing cable television franchise.
22             (iii)  "Franchising Authority" is  defined  as  that
23        term  is  defined  under  Section  602(9)  of  the  Cable
24        Communications Policy Act of 1984, Public Law 98-549, but
25        does  not  include  any municipality with a population of
26        1,000,000 or more.
27             (iv)  "Cable operator" is defined as  that  term  is
28        defined  under Section 602(4) of the Cable Communications
29        Policy Act of 1984, Public Law 98-549.
30        Before granting an additional cable television franchise,
31    the franchising authority shall:
32             (1)  Give written notice to the owner or operator of
33        any other community antenna television system  franchised
34        to serve all or any portion of the territorial area to be
                            -14-           LRB9001711JSmgam05
 1        served  by  such  additional  cable television franchise,
 2        identifying the applicant for such  additional  franchise
 3        and  specifying  the  date,  time  and place at which the
 4        franchising authority shall conduct  public  hearings  to
 5        consider  and  determine  whether  such  additional cable
 6        television franchise should be granted.
 7             (2)  Conduct  a  public  hearing  to  determine  the
 8        public  need  for  such   additional   cable   television
 9        franchise,   the  capacity  of  public  rights-of-way  to
10        accommodate such additional community antenna  television
11        services,  the  potential disruption to existing users of
12        public  rights-of-way  to  be  used  by  such  additional
13        franchise  applicant  to  complete  construction  and  to
14        provide cable television  services  within  the  proposed
15        franchise  area,  the  long  term economic impact of such
16        additional cable television system within the  community,
17        and such other factors as the franchising authority shall
18        deem appropriate.
19             (3)  Determine,  based  upon  the foregoing factors,
20        whether it is in the best interest of the municipality to
21        grant such additional cable television franchise.
22             (4)  If the franchising  authority  shall  determine
23        that it is in the best interest of the municipality to do
24        so,   it   may  grant  the  additional  cable  television
25        franchise.  Except as provided in paragraph (5)  of  this
26        subsection  (e),  provided  that no such additional cable
27        television franchise shall  be  granted  under  terms  or
28        conditions  more  favorable  or  less  burdensome  to the
29        applicant than those required under  the  existing  cable
30        television  franchise, including but not limited to terms
31        and conditions pertaining to the  territorial  extent  of
32        the   franchise,  system  design,  technical  performance
33        standards,  construction  schedules,  performance  bonds,
34        standards  for  construction  and  installation  of cable
                            -15-           LRB9001711JSmgam05
 1        television facilities,  service  to  subscribers,  public
 2        educational   and   governmental   access   channels  and
 3        programming,   production   assistance,   liability   and
 4        indemnification, and franchise fees.
 5             (5)  Unless the existing cable television  franchise
 6        provides  that  any additional cable television franchise
 7        shall be subject  to  the  same  terms  or  substantially
 8        equivalent  terms and conditions as those of the existing
 9        cable television franchise, the franchising authority may
10        grant an  additional  cable  television  franchise  under
11        different terms and conditions than those of the existing
12        franchise, in which event the franchising authority shall
13        enter  into  good  faith  negotiations  with the existing
14        franchisee and shall, within 120 days after the effective
15        date of the additional cable television franchise, modify
16        the existing cable television franchise in a  manner  and
17        to  the  extent  necessary  to  ensure  that  neither the
18        existing cable television franchise  nor  the  additional
19        cable   television  franchise,  each  considered  in  its
20        entirety,  provides  a  competitive  advantage  over  the
21        other, provided that  prior  to  modifying  the  existing
22        cable  television  franchise,  the  franchising authority
23        shall have conducted a public  hearing  to  consider  the
24        proposed modification.   No modification in the terms and
25        conditions  of  the  existing  cable television franchise
26        shall oblige the existing cable television franchisee (1)
27        to  make  any  additional  payment  to  the   franchising
28        authority,   including  the  payment  of  any  additional
29        franchise  fee,  (2)  to   engage   in   any   additional
30        construction  of the existing cable television system or,
31        (3)  to  modify  the  specifications  or  design  of  the
32        existing cable television system; and  the  inclusion  of
33        the  factors identified in items (2) and (3) shall not be
34        considered  in  determining  whether   either   franchise
                            -16-           LRB9001711JSmgam05
 1        considered  in  its entirety, has a competitive advantage
 2        over the other except to the extent that  the  additional
 3        franchisee  provides additional video or data services or
 4        the equipment or facilities necessary to generate and  or
 5        carry  such  service.    No modification in the terms and
 6        conditions of the  existing  cable  television  franchise
 7        shall be made if the existing cable television franchisee
 8        elects  to  continue  to  operate  under  all  terms  and
 9        conditions of the existing franchise.
10             If   within  the  120  day  period  the  franchising
11        authority and the existing  cable  television  franchisee
12        are  unable  to  reach  agreement on modifications to the
13        existing cable television franchise, then the franchising
14        authority shall  modify  the  existing  cable  television
15        franchise, effective 45 days thereafter, in a manner, and
16        only  to the extent, that the terms and conditions of the
17        existing  cable  television  franchise  shall  no  longer
18        impose any duty or obligation on the existing  franchisee
19        which  is  not  also  imposed  under the additional cable
20        television franchise; however, if by the modification the
21        existing  cable  television  franchisee  is  relieved  of
22        duties or obligations not imposed  under  the  additional
23        cable  television franchise, then within the same 45 days
24        and following a public hearing concerning modification of
25        the additional cable television franchise within that  45
26        day  period,  the  franchising authority shall modify the
27        additional  cable  television  franchise  to  the  extent
28        necessary to  insure  that  neither  the  existing  cable
29        television  franchise nor the additional cable television
30        franchise, each considered in its entirety, shall have  a
31        competitive advantage over the other.
32        No  municipality  shall  be  subject  to suit for damages
33    based upon the municipality's determination to grant  or  its
34    refusal  to  grant  an additional cable television franchise,
                            -17-           LRB9001711JSmgam05
 1    provided that a public hearing as herein  provided  has  been
 2    held  and the franchising authority has determined that it is
 3    not in the best interest of  the  municipality  to  grant  or
 4    refuse  to  grant  such additional franchise, as the case may
 5    be.
 6        It is declared to be the law of this State,  pursuant  to
 7    paragraphs  (h)  and  (i)  of Section 6 of Article VII of the
 8    Illinois Constitution,  that  the  establishment  of  minimum
 9    standards and procedures for the granting of additional cable
10    television  franchises  by  municipalities  with a population
11    less than 1,000,000 as provided in this subsection (e) is  an
12    exclusive  State power and function that may not be exercised
13    concurrently by a home rule unit.
14    (Source: P.A. 89-657, eff. 8-14-96.)
15        Section 99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect  upon
16    becoming law.".

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