SJR83 Summary

• Clarifies Alabama law regarding fair and reasonable compensation that telecommunications providers must pay municipalities for access to public rights-of-way (ROW) to deploy broadband infrastructure.

• Specifies that fair and reasonable compensation does not include in-kind fiber or network build-out requirements.

• Requires that all ROW fees—whether structured as permitting fees, per linear foot charges, or percentage of gross revenues—must be cost-based and directly related to the municipality's expenses in providing ROW access.

• Affirms that state and local governments retain authority to manage public rights-of-way on a competitively neutral and nondiscriminatory basis while complying with federal telecommunications law under 47 U.S.C. §253(a).