By Moncrief                                             S.B. No. 67
         77R231 CBH-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to a requirement that cable companies provide notice of
 1-3     severe weather warnings.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subtitle B, Title 4, Utilities Code, is amended
 1-6     by adding Chapter 187 to read as follows:
 1-7                   CHAPTER 187.  DUTIES OF CABLE COMPANIES
 1-8           Sec. 187.001.  DEFINITIONS.  In this chapter:
 1-9                 (1)  "Cable company" means a company that provides
1-10     video programming services to subscribers using a coaxial cable or
1-11     fiber optics.  The term does not include a company that provides
1-12     video programming services to subscribers without a wire by means
1-13     of satellite or other facilities.
1-14                 (2)  "Cable system" means a facility that consists of a
1-15     set of closed transmission paths and associated signal generation,
1-16     reception, and control equipment that is designed to provide cable
1-17     service to multiple subscribers within a community.
1-18                 (3)  "Commission" means the Public Utility Commission
1-19     of Texas.
1-20           Sec. 187.002.  DUTY TO BROADCAST SEVERE WEATHER WARNING.  (a)
1-21     If the National Weather Service issues a severe weather warning
1-22     that covers all or part of the service area of a cable system, the
1-23     cable company shall provide notice of the issuance of the warning
1-24     on each video channel.
 2-1           (b)  The commission by rule shall prescribe the manner in
 2-2     which a cable company must provide the notice required by
 2-3     Subsection (a).
 2-4           Sec. 187.003.  APPLICATION FOR EXEMPTION.  A cable company
 2-5     may apply to the commission for an exemption from the notice
 2-6     requirement prescribed by Section 187.002 if it is not technically
 2-7     possible for the cable company to comply.
 2-8           Sec. 187.004.  RULES.  The commission shall prescribe rules
 2-9     necessary to implement and enforce this chapter.
2-10           Sec. 187.005.  ENFORCEMENT.  The commission has jurisdiction
2-11     over a cable company to enforce this chapter and may take any
2-12     action authorized by Chapter 15, including the imposition of a
2-13     civil or administrative penalty, against a cable company that
2-14     violates this chapter.
2-15           SECTION 2. This Act takes effect January 1, 2002.