§ 45:1370 — In-kind contributions; PEG access support

A. Local governmental subdivisions are prohibited from imposing in-kind compensations and grants.
B. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, a local governmental subdivision may require all holders of a state-issued certificate of franchise authority, pursuant to an ordinance adopted by the local governmental subdivision, to pay PEG access support in an amount up to one-half percent of gross revenues. No payments shall be due pursuant to this Section until the local governmental subdivision notifies the holder of a state-issued certificate of franchise authority, in writing, of the amount owed. The fee shall be uniformly applied to all holders of a state-issued certificate of franchise authority within the local governmental subdivision.
C. Payments under this Section shall be made in the same manner as a part of the certificate holder's payment of franchise fees pursuant to R.S. 45:1366, and all definitions, exemptions, and administrative provisions applicable to franchise fees shall apply to such payments.
D. The holder of a state-issued certificate of franchise authority may designate that portion of a subscriber's bill attributable to any payments required by this Section and recover the amount from the subscriber as a separate line-item on the bill.
E. All payments made to a local governmental subdivision under this Section are paid in accordance with 47 U.S.C. 531, 541(a)(4)(B), and 542(g)(2)(C) and shall be used by the local governmental subdivision as allowed by federal law only to support the capital costs incurred for the construction and operation of PEG access programming stream or channel content and facilities.
F. No franchise fees as required in R.S. 45:1366 shall apply to payments made pursuant to this Section.

Legislative History

Acts 2008, No. 433, §1.