West Virginia Code 24D-1-20 – Franchise document clearinghouse
(a) All cable operators holding an existing franchise on the effective date of this article shall file a copy of the franchise and any federal communications commission rulings or other rulings affecting such franchises with the commission with the annual report filed in one thousand nine hundred ninety-nine as referenced in section twenty-four of this article.
Terms Used In West Virginia Code 24D-1-20
- Cable operator: means any person or group of persons: (A) Who provides cable service over a cable system and directly or through one or more affiliates owns a significant interest in the cable system. See West Virginia Code 24D-1-2
- franchise: means a nonexclusive initial authorization or renewal thereof issued pursuant to this chapter, whether the authorization is designated as a franchise, permit, order, contract, agreement or otherwise, which authorizes the construction or operation of a cable system. See West Virginia Code 24D-1-2
- Franchising authority: means a municipality, a county commission or the Public Service Commission empowered by federal, state or local law to grant a cable franchise. See West Virginia Code 24D-1-2
(b) Within sixty days of the granting of an initial franchise, a renewal franchise or a transferred franchise, the franchisee shall file a copy of the franchise and any federal communications commission rulings or other rulings affecting such franchise with the commission and the franchising authority. The commission and franchising authority shall maintain a file of all franchise documents so recorded and make copies available upon request for the cost of reproduction and mailing, plus a reasonable administrative fee. The filing fee for initial, renewal or transfer franchise documents is $50 per franchise, renewal or transfer of such franchise. In years in which the filing of initial, renewal or transfer franchise documents is not required, the franchisee shall pay a fee of $25 for each franchise it holds.
(c) All such fees paid by any cable operator are franchise fees with the intent and meaning of 47 U.S.C. § 542 as the same is in effect on the effective date of this chapter.