Section 88*2. Catv franchises prohibited  


Latest version.
  • 1. As used in this section, the
      following words shall have the following  meanings  unless  the  context
      shall indicate another or different meaning.
        (a)  "Catv  company".  Any  individual,  partnership,  association  or
      corporation owning, controlling, operating, managing or leasing  a  catv
      system.
        (b)  "Catv  system".  Any  facility  which  receives and amplifies the
      signals broadcast by one or more television stations  and  redistributes
      such signals by wire, cable or other means, or which distributes signals
      it  originates  or  which  are  originated  by  another  for  viewing by
      subscribers, whether the wire, cable or other facilities  are  owned  or
      leased. A "catv system" shall not include:
        i.  the poles or other facilities of any telephone corporation used to
      provide channel service as a common carrier,
        ii. a system serving not more than two hundred fifty subscribers, or
        iii.  a  master  antenna  system  servicing  subscribers  situated  on
      property under common ownership.
        (c)  "Facility".  Any  real  property, antennae, poles, wires, cables,
      conduits, amplifiers, instruments, equipment, appliances, fixtures,  and
      other  personal  property used by a catv company in providing service to
      its subscribers including that constructed in whole or in part  in,  on,
      under or over any highway or other public place.
        (d)  "Franchise".  Any  authorization,  permit,  license  or privilege
      granted by a municipal corporation to construct,  operate,  maintain  or
      manage a catv system in the state.
        2.  Notwithstanding  any  other  provisions of law, until April first,
      nineteen hundred seventy-three, no municipal corporation may give, grant
      or award to any individual,  partnership,  association  or  corporation,
      upon  any terms or conditions whatever, any franchise for the purpose of
      constructing, erecting, operating or maintaining any catv system in  the
      state.
        3.  Notwithstanding  any  other provisions of law, for a period of one
      year  from  the  effective  date  of  this   section,   no   individual,
      partnership,  association or corporation shall construct, erect, operate
      or maintain a nonfranchised catv system  which  is  not  in  actual  and
      lawful  operation on the effective date of this section, or enter into a
      contract for the construction, erection,  operation  or  maintenance  of
      such  a nonfranchised catv system; nor shall any catv company engaged in
      actual and lawful nonfranchised catv operations on the effective date of
      this section expand the area of its operations  during  such  period  of
      time.
        4. Except as otherwise provided herein, the provisions of this section
      shall  not  affect the authority of any catv company to operate pursuant
      to any  franchise  heretofore  awarded  by  any  municipal  corporation,
      provided however, that all transfer, renewal or amendment of a franchise
      (whenever awarded by a municipal corporation) taking effect for a period
      of  one year from the effective date of this section shall be subject to
      review and confirmation by such department or agency of the state as may
      hereafter be authorized to regulate the catv industry and  the  awarding
      of  catv  franchises,  in  accordance  with the provisions of the act so
      authorizing such state department or agency to regulate.
        5. If any clause, sentence, paragraph,  subsection  or  part  of  this
      section  shall  be adjudged by any court of competent jurisdiction to be
      invalid, such judgment  shall  not  affect,  impair  or  invalidate  the
      remainder thereof, but shall be confined in its operation to the clause,
      sentence, paragraph, subsection or part thereof directly involved in the
      controversy in which such judgment shall have been rendered.
        * NB There are 2 § 88's