§ 16-61-6.2 - Acquisition of public education and government television studios and equipment. - Rhode Island Statutes

SECTION 16-61-6.2

   § 16-61-6.2  Acquisition of publiceducation and government television studios and equipment. – (a) No later than December 31, 2006, the division of public utilities andcarriers (the Division) shall promulgate rules to allow the transition ofmanagement of PEG access television including responsibility for programmingthe three (3) statewide interconnect channels, and managing interconnectplayback in conjunction with its management of PEG playback, from current cabletelevision certificate holders to the Rhode Island public telecommunicationsauthority or its designee.

   (b) Existing certificate holders may transfer to the RhodeIsland public telecommunications authority or its designee the ownership of PEGaccess studio and playback equipment, and statewide interconnect playbackequipment, currently in existing public access studios and playback facilities.

   (c) The Rhode Island public telecommunications authority orits designee may purchase this equipment from existing certificate holders forthe book value of the equipment based on the effective date of the transition.

   (d) The Rhode Island public telecommunications authority orits designee may assume the leases for public access studios in thosefacilities where existing certificate holders currently lease space. Studios inbuildings owned by existing certificate holders shall be leased by the RhodeIsland public telecommunications authority or its designee at fair market valuesubject to the approval of the division. Employees of existing certificateholders working in public access facilities shall become employees of the RhodeIsland public telecommunications authority or its designee on the effectivedate of the transition.

   (e) An existing cable television certificate holder may, atits sole discretion, elect to continue to manage PEG access studios within itsservice area. If an existing cable television certificate holder does elect tocontinue to operate and manage PEG access studios, it may at any timesubsequently elect not to operate PEG access studios and implement theprovisions of this section.