Bill 562

                    Current Status

Bill Number:               562
Ratification Number:       231
Act Number                 134
Introducing Body:          Senate
Subject:                   The franchising of cable television
                           companies

(A134, R231, S562)

AN ACT TO AMEND ACT 688 OF 1976, RELATING TO THE FRANCHISING OF CABLE TELEVISION COMPANIES, SO AS TO FURTHER PROVIDE FOR THE TERMS "CABLE TELEVISION COMPANY" AND "CABLE TELEVISION SYSTEM" FOR PURPOSES OF THE ACT.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

Company may operate cable over or beneath public lands

SECTION 1. Section 1 of Act 688 of 1976 is amended to read:

"Section 1. Any cable television company may, upon the approval of the governing body of the city or county, construct, maintain, and operate its cable over or beneath any of the public lands of this State, over, beneath, or along any of the highways or public roads of the State, or over or beneath any of the waters of the State; provided, that cable television companies shall, unless heretofore covered by court decree, where possible and practicable, enter into an agreement with a telephone company or electric power company whereby the cable television company has the right to attach its cables to the poles owned by the telephone company or electric power company, or to bury its cable beneath the ground in conduits owned by the telephone company or electric power company; provided, further, that such cable is constructed so as not to endanger the safety of persons or to interfere with the use of these public lands, highways, or public roads, or the navigation of these waters; provided, further, that the agency charged with the maintenance of these public lands, highways, or public roads, or waters of the State shall require that the cable television company obtain a permit prior to placing its cable over, under, or along these public lands, highways, or public roads, or waters; and, provided, further, that if both electrical and telephone facilities in an area are underground then the cable television lines in that area shall also be placed underground. This proviso does not give any additional rights to public utilities to grant an easement. Provided, further, that if the cable is located in such a manner so as to constitute an interference with the right of ingress or egress to land that is subject to the easement, the cable television companies shall obtain the consent of the landowner, his heirs, or assigns, from which the original easement was obtained."

Definitions

SECTION 2. Act 688 of 1976 is amended by adding:

"Section 1A. The term 'cable television company' and 'cable television system' as used in this act includes a corporation incorporated under the laws of this State, a corporation incorporated under the laws of another state which has complied with the laws of this State regulating the doing of business in this State by foreign corporations, a general or limited partnership organized under the laws of this State, and a general or limited partnership organized under the laws of another state which has complied with any laws of this State regulating the doing of business in this State by these partnerships."

Time effective

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon approval by the Governor.