Loading chat...
GA HB328
Bill
Status
Passed
5/2/2022
Primary Sponsor
Martin Momtahan
Click for details
AI Summary
- Telephone companies without retail, end user customers within a municipal authority's boundaries must pay annual right-of-way use fees of 5¢ per linear foot if they provide broadband services to any location within the municipality, or 19¢ per linear foot if they do not provide broadband services, effective January 1, 2023
- Municipal authorities may charge a one-time permit application processing fee not to exceed the lesser of the municipality's actual and reasonable direct administrative costs or $100.00 for telephone companies without retail end users in their boundaries
- A civil penalty may be imposed on telephone companies that fail to pay due compensation for four or more consecutive quarters, capped at 10% of total unpaid due compensation over a three-year period, with the municipal authority authorized to suspend new permit issuance until payment is made
- Telephone companies switching between the two due compensation methods (revenue-based under paragraph 9 vs. linear-foot-based under paragraph 19) must provide written notice to the municipal authority at least ten calendar days before the end of the first quarter in which the change takes effect
- Updates several Federal Communications Commission account references used to calculate "actual recurring local service revenues" and preserves existing payment rates for companies already paying as of January 1, 2013, while clarifying that disputes on or before December 31, 2022, are not affected
Legislative Description
Public utilities; one-time right of way permit fee and reduce annual right of way use fees; establish
Last Action
Effective Date 2022-07-01
5/2/2022
Committee Referrals
Regulated Industries and Utilities3/8/2021
Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications2/9/2021
Full Bill Text
No bill text available