50-3003. FRANCHISING AUTHORITY — APPLICATION FOR CERTIFICATE OF FRANCHISE AUTHORITY — MODIFICATION OF SERVICE AREAS — TERM OF CERTIFICATE OF FRANCHISE AUTHORITY AND TERMINATION THEREOF. (1) On and after July 1, 2012, no person shall act as a video service provider or operate a video service network within the state of Idaho unless such person:

(a) Is an incumbent cable service provider providing cable service within an existing franchise area by permission of, or pursuant to, a franchise from a political subdivision in effect on the effective date of this chapter or a subsequent renewal thereof; or

(b) Is a nonincumbent cable service provider who:

(i) Elects to negotiate a franchise agreement in accordance with title VI of the communications act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. section 521 et seq., with a political subdivision, which agreement establishes the terms and conditions applicable to that person to provide cable or video service within the jurisdictional boundaries of such political subdivision and has been issued a franchise from the political subdivision for such purpose; or

(ii) Elects to adopt the terms and conditions of an existing franchise issued by a political subdivision to an incumbent cable service provider providing video service within the same service area and who has been issued a franchise from the political subdivision authorizing the video service provider to provide video services within the political subdivision pursuant to the same terms and conditions as the franchise issued to the incumbent cable service provider in the political subdivision; or

(c) Has been granted a certificate of franchise authority to do business in the state of Idaho as a system operator by the Idaho secretary of state, as authorized in this chapter.

(2) (a) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prohibit a person from holding a franchise issued by a political subdivision and holding a certificate of franchise authority issued by the Idaho secretary of state for a different service area. Provided however, a video service provider shall not hold a franchise issued by a political subdivision and a certificate of franchise authority issued by the secretary of state for the same service area, except as permitted pursuant to paragraph (b) of this subsection.

(b) An incumbent cable service provider may submit an application for a certificate of franchise authority for a service area in which the incumbent cable service provider has an existing franchise from a political subdivision for such service area and, upon the granting of a certificate of franchise authority to the incumbent cable service provider, the incumbent cable service provider’s franchise from the political subdivision shall no longer be of any force or effect.

(c) It shall be in an incumbent cable operator’s sole discretion to determine, in each service area wherein it provides cable service, whether or not to apply for a certificate of franchise authority or continue to provide service under an existing franchise issued by a political subdivision.

(3) Any person seeking a certificate of franchise authority shall submit an application to the Idaho secretary of state that is in accordance with the requirements of this chapter and sets forth the following information:

(a) The name of the applicant and the address of its principal place of business within the state of Idaho and the names of the applicant’s principal executive officers and its primary Idaho representative;

(b) A specific identification of the political subdivision(s) constituting the service area wherein the applicant intends to provide video service;

(c) The date on which the applicant intends to begin providing video service in the service area described in the application;

(d) Verification signed by an officer or general partner of the applicant that:

(i) The applicant has filed with the federal communications commission all forms required by that agency in advance of offering video service in this state; and

(ii) The applicant is legally, financially and technically qualified to provide video service; provided however, that a cable operator that was providing cable service in Idaho pursuant to a franchise in effect on the day before the effective date of this section shall be deemed to be legally, financially and technically qualified to provide service; and

(e) Verification that the applicant has procured and will maintain comprehensive general liability insurance coverage and automobile liability insurance coverage underwritten by one (1) or more companies licensed to do business in the state of Idaho requiring that the insurance carrier pay on behalf of the applicant, to a limit of not less than five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) for bodily or personal injury, death, or property damage or loss as a result of any one (1) occurrence or accident, regardless of the number of persons injured or the number of claimants, arising out of the negligent or otherwise wrongful act or omission of the applicant or applicant’s employees or agents. Verification that a certificate of self-insurance has been issued to the applicant and maintained in accordance with the provisions of section 49-1224, Idaho Code, shall be deemed to satisfy the requirements of this subsection.

(4) The application shall be accompanied by a filing fee as set forth in section 50-3005, Idaho Code. Within thirty (30) days after filing of the application, or within thirty (30) days after the filing of supplemental information necessary to make the application complete, the secretary of state shall determine the completeness of an application or, if applicable, shall notify the applicant of a determination that the application or the application as supplemented by additional information is incomplete, state the basis for that determination, and inform the applicant that the applicant may resubmit a correct application. The secretary of state shall issue a certificate of franchise authority within fifteen (15) days after the secretary of state’s determination that the filed application is complete and in compliance with the requirements of this chapter. Upon issuance of a certificate of franchise authority, the secretary of state shall, within fifteen (15) days from the date of such issuance, provide written notice of such issuance, provide written notice of such issuance to the governing body of each political subdivision and of each local unit of government located within the service area designated in the application for a certificate of franchise authority.

(5) A holder of a certificate of franchise authority may modify the boundaries of an existing service area authorized under the certificate by filing written notice of the modification with the secretary of state accompanied by the fee required by section 50-3005, Idaho Code. The holder of the certificate may make the modification on the date on which it files the written notice with the secretary of state.

(6) A certificate of franchise authority may be transferred to any successor of the system operator to which the certificate of franchise authority was initially issued upon the successor filing an application containing the same information as required in subsection (3) of this section. A successor may only undertake operation and maintenance of video facilities pursuant to an approved certificate of franchise authority upon providing notice to the local unit of government with jurisdiction concerning the public rights-of-way to be used. A successor shall be responsible to conform to approved plans and permits to coordinate installation and maintenance as required by the local unit of government.

(7) A certificate of franchise authority may be terminated by the system operator submitting a written notice to the secretary of state and any affected local unit of government. No approval of the termination of the certificate of franchise authority shall be required by the secretary of state or by any affected local unit of government. Termination of a certificate of franchise authority shall not relieve a system operator of any obligation to mitigate the effects of abandoned physical facilities remaining in any public rights-of-way.

(8) A certificate of franchise authority shall be nonexclusive and shall be for an initial term of ten (10) years, subject to changes in federal law. A certificate of franchise authority may be renewed for additional ten (10) year periods for system operators in compliance with the requirements of subsection (3) of this section.

(9) To the extent required for the purposes of 47 U.S.C. sections 521 through 561, the state of Idaho shall constitute the franchising authority for system operators in the state of Idaho.

(10) The duties of the secretary of state pursuant to this chapter are ministerial.

History:

[50-3003, added 2012, ch. 207, sec. 1, p. 553.]