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from: Brewed Fresh Daily

George: A briefing on SB 117 from Walter & Haverfield’s client newsletter

Probably something to brush up on, then write your State Senator:

If enacted as written, Ohio Senate Bill 117 (S.B. 117), introduced on March 15, 2007, will have a tremendous negative impact on every municipality, township, and school district in Ohio. S.B. 117 takes away the right of Ohio’s municipalities and townships to require cable franchise agreements from cable operators and/or telephone companies. But this Bill would not only prohibit local governments from negotiating new agreements or extending existing ones; in fact, it would permit operators to abandon their existing franchise agreements at any time after the legislation becomes effective…

from: Journal News

Fairfield against change in cable deals

By Michael D. Pitman

Staff Writer

Monday, April 09, 2007

FAIRFIELD — While city officials are still trying to get a franchise agreement with Time Warner Cable, an Ohio Senate bill introduced last month may nix it — along with all other cable franchise agreements in the state.

This page last updated 4/7/07
Recent State News via saveaccess: newswire

Bill Number(s): SB 117
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Bill Status

from: Bytes from Lev

Statewide Coalition Formed To Fight SB 117

This arrived in my inbox and after reading the draft legislation, I think it is really important that folks inform themselves of this significant retrogressive Ohio Senate Bill. Smart communities around the country continue to leverage Franchising Authority to create and sustain community value. This development, if it were to pass, would be very significant nail in the coffin of community partnership networking efforts. If others have insights, please share them via comments.

From: Columbus Free Press

On the State Level: Access to Local Media Threatened by Ohio Bill

April 4, 2007
By Rich James

As big media faces a more public-interest oriented Congress, some public policy battles are moving to state legislatures. Phone giants interested in entering the video market want to get rid of local franchising, the locale-by-locale permission to use public right-of-ways that cable companies have had to secure.

from: Dayton Politics

April 1, 2007
Jacobson Moves to Give AT&T Eminent Domain Powers

There’s finally a Legislative Reference Service bill analysis posted for Senate Bill 117, AT&T’s bill to eliminate local cable franchising in Ohio.

The bill substitutes a state-issued “Video Service Authorization”, or “VSA”, for local cable TV franchises. The LRS analysis says in paragraph four:

from: Dayton Daily News

Bill 117 would have drastic effects on cable competition, public access

By Jim DeBrosse

Staff Writer

Sunday, March 25, 2007

COLUMBUS — Consumer groups call it "cherry-picking" or "redlining" — allowing cable and phone companies to target affluent, densely populated areas for the latest in computer and video services while ignoring minorities, the poor and rural areas.

from: Dayton Daily News

AT&T advocating statewide permits for utility growth
Backers say bill will lower cable costs, but consumer groups say it benefits suburbs and ignores urban poor and rural areas.

By Jim DeBrosse
Staff Writer

from: Callahan's Cleveland Diary

Telco bill to end local cable franchising shows up in General Assembly

When this was passed by Michigan’s Republican legislature and signed by Governor Granholm, a Democrat, in December, I wrote: “The Michigan law is very likely to provide the template for similar legislation in the Ohio General Assembly early next year.”

The OK Chapter of the Alliance for Community Media
Central States chapter has sent out the following news
item.

A NEW video franchising bill has been introduced in
the Ohio State Senate, SB 117.

The bill can be found on the Ohio State web site.

http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/bills.cfm?ID=127_SB_117