Michigan Passes Bill On Video-Franchising

MICHIGAN LAWMAKERS SEND BILL ON VIDEO-FRANCHISING TO GOVERNOR
[SOURCE: Technology Daily, AUTHOR: Michael Martinez]
The Michigan legislature cleared to the governor legislation that would streamline the state's video-franchising rules. The state Senate passed an amended version of the bill by a vote of 26-12, and the state House quickly endorsed the changes on what is expected to be the last day of the legislative session. The bill would allow new entrants to the state's video services market to bypass localities by negotiating statewide franchises. The state currently requires entrants to separately negotiate franchises with localities. Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D) is expected to sign the bill. Spokeswoman Liz Boyd said Gov Granholm believes the measure is "good for consumers and good for Michigan." The measure has been pushed hard by AT&T, which last month promised to invest $620 million and create 2,000 jobs in Michigan over the next three years as it offers video service via the fiber-optic network it has built there. The franchising debate in Michigan has received more nationwide attention than the debates in other states because of last-minute lobbying by Google and others to add language about how broadband operators treat online content. But the version of the bill passed by the Senate on Tuesday included no language addressing that so-called network neutrality issue.
http://www.njtelecomupdate.com/lenya/telco/live/tb-CNGP1165960454428.html