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Minutes for SB380 - Committee on Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications
Short Title
Prohibiting municipalities from imposing additional requirements on video service providers for the provision of wireless services.
Minutes Content for Thu, Mar 12, 2020
Chairperson Seiwert opened the hearing on SB380.
Nick Myers, Revisor's Office provided an overview of the bill particularly referencing the definitions of terms used in the bill. (Attachment 14)
Stephen Duerst, opened representing Kansas Cable Telecommunications Association (KCTA) who provides broadband services to the state and supports SB380. Mr. Duerst described KCTA's request to affirm federal law that cities cannot assess additional fees under its mixed use rule, to provide certainty from a regulatory and tax perspective regarding the fees paid to municipalities and to move forward their ability to deliver reliable high-speed broadband service to communities across Kansas. (Attachment 15)
Megan Bottenberg, Cox Communication, described the distribution facilities Cox currently uses as the states largest provider of broadband services. SB380 would allow Cox regulatory and tax certainty to deploy strand-mount devices to provide more coverage, capacity and better user experiences as well as quicker deployment of broadband and wi-fi. (Attachment 16)
John Federico, Kansas Cable Telecommunications Association (KCTA), described the need for fair and open competition in order to provide customers with the best service, giving examples from the media and relating those comments to text in the bill. Mr. Federico referenced his testimony showing concessions made in the bill to accommodate others and stated SB380 removes unnecessary, unwarranted impediments to delivering services to customers. (Attachment 17)
Eric Berry, Cox Communications, stated there were two parts to the business -- small cell, and microwireless -- and he provided technical expertise regarding the microwireless facilities to be deployed and their implementation in the delivery system. Mr. Berry summarized the hardware, right-of-way permitting, power/electric restrictions, vehicular and pedestrian traffic considerations and buildout provisions Cox faces in deployment. (Attachment 18)
Chairperson Seiwert suspended the hearing on SB380 to be continued on Tuesday, March 17.
