119-hr4927

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4927 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 4927

 To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to prohibit franchising 
authorities from requiring approval for the sale of cable systems, and 
 for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 August 8, 2025

 Mrs. Houchin (for herself and Mr. Goldman of Texas) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
 Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to prohibit franchising 
authorities from requiring approval for the sale of cable systems, and 
 for other purposes.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Consumer Access to Broadband for 
Local Economies and Competition Act'' or the ``CABLE Competition Act''.

SEC. 2. SALES OF CABLE SYSTEMS.

    (a) In General.--

Section 627 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 
U.S.C. 547) is amended to read as follows:

``

SEC. 627. CONDITIONS OF SALE OR TRANSFER.

 ``

    (a) Value of Cable System After Revocation of Franchise.--If a 
franchise held by a cable operator is revoked under 

section 626

    (b)

    (2)
        (B) and the franchising authority acquires ownership of the 
cable system or effects a transfer of ownership of the system to 
another person, any such acquisition or transfer shall be at fair 
market value.
 ``

    (b) Limitations on Authority of Franchising Authority With 
Respect To Transfer of Franchise.--
 ``

    (1) In general.--A franchising authority may not preclude 
 a cable operator from transferring a franchise to any person--
 ``
        (A) to which such franchise was not initially 
 granted; and
 ``
        (B) with respect to the terms of the franchise 
 that apply to the cable operator, who agrees to accept 
 all such terms in effect at the time of the transfer.
 ``

    (2) Notification.--In the case of the transfer of a 
 franchise to a person to which such franchise was not 
 originally granted, a franchising authority may require a cable 
 operator to which a franchise was initially granted to, not 
 later than 15 days before the transfer of the franchise, notify 
 the franchising authority in writing of such transfer.
 ``

    (3) Transfer of a franchise defined.--In this subsection, 
 the term `transfer of a franchise' means the transfer or 
 assignment of any rights under a franchise through any 
 transaction, including through--
 ``
        (A) a merger involving the cable operator or 
 cable system;
 ``
        (B) a sale of the cable operator or cable system;
 ``
            (C) an assignment of the cable operator or a 
 cable system;
 ``
            (D) a restructuring of a cable operator or a 
 cable system; or
 ``
        (E) the transfer of control of a cable operator 
 or a cable system.''.

    (b) Effective Date.--This section, and the amendment made by 
subsection

    (a) , shall take effect 6 months after the date of the 
enactment of this Act.
            (c) Application.--This section, and the amendment made by 
subsection

    (a) , shall apply to a franchise granted--

    (1) on or after the effective date established by 
 subsection

    (b) ; or

    (2) before such date, if--
        (A) such franchise (including any renewal term 
 thereof) is in effect on such date; or
        (B) such franchise is expired and cable operator 
 has continued to perform under the provisions of such 
 franchise as if such franchise were not expired.
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