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2014 SESSION
14102748DBe it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That § 15.2-2160 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§ 15.2-2160. Provision of telecommunications services.
A. Any locality that operates an electric distribution system
may provide telecommunications services, including local exchange telephone
service as defined in § 56-1, within or outside its boundaries if the locality
obtains a certificate pursuant to § 56-265.4:4. Such locality may provide
telecommunications services within any locality in which it
has had
electric distribution system facilities as of March 1,
2002 2012.
Any locality providing telecommunications services on March 1, 2002
2012, may provide telecommunications, Internet access,
broadband, information, and data transmission services within any locality
within 75
100 miles of the geographic boundaries of its electric
distribution system as such system existed on March 1,
2002 2012.
B. A locality that has obtained a certificate pursuant to §
56-265.4:4 shall (i) comply with all applicable laws and regulations for the
provision of telecommunications services; (ii) make a reasonable estimate of
the amount of all federal, state, and local taxes (including income taxes and
consumer utility taxes) that would be required to be paid or collected for each
fiscal year if the locality were a for-profit provider of telecommunications
services,;
(iii) prepare reasonable estimates of the amount of any franchise fees and
other state and local fees (including permit fees and pole rental fees), and
right-of-way charges that would be incurred in each fiscal year if the locality
were a for-profit provider of telecommunications services,; (iv) prepare and publish
annually financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting
principles showing the results of operations of its provision of
telecommunications services,; and (v) maintain records
demonstrating compliance with the provisions of this section that shall be made
available for inspection and copying pursuant to the Virginia Freedom of
Information Act (§ 2.2-3700 et seq.).
C. Each locality that has obtained a certificate pursuant to § 56-265.4:4 shall provide nondiscriminatory access to for-profit providers of telecommunications services on a first-come, first-served basis to rights-of-way, poles, conduits, or other permanent distribution facilities owned, leased, or operated by the locality unless the facilities have insufficient capacity for such access and additional capacity cannot reasonably be added to the facilities.
D. The prices charged and the revenue received by a locality
for providing telecommunications services shall not be cross-subsidized by
other revenues of the locality or affiliated entities, except (i) in areas
where no offers exist from for-profit providers of such telecommunications
services, or (ii) as permitted by the
provisions of subdivision B 5 of § 56-265.4:4. The provisions of this
subsection shall not apply to Internet access, broadband, information, and or
data transmission services provided by any locality providing telecommunications
services on as
of March 1, 2002 2012.
E. No locality providing such services shall acquire by eminent domain the facilities or other property of any telecommunications service provider to offer cable, telephone, data transmission, or other information or online programming services.
F. Public records of a locality that has obtained a certificate pursuant to § 56-265.4:4, which records contain confidential proprietary information or trade secrets pertaining to the provision of telecommunications service, shall be exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (§ 2.2-3700 et seq.). As used in this subsection, a public record contains confidential proprietary information or trade secrets if its acquisition by a competing provider of telecommunications services would provide the competing provider with a competitive benefit.
G. As used in this section, "locality" shall mean means
any county, city, town, authority, or other governmental entity which that
provides or seeks to provide telecommunications services. Every locality shall
comply with the requirements of § 56-265.4:4 or 56-484.7:1 unless otherwise
specifically exempt. Any locality that has obtained a certificate pursuant to §
56-265.4:4, and which surrenders or transfers such certificate, shall continue to remain
subject to subsections C, D, and E if any substantial part of its
telecommunications assets or operations are transferred to an entity in which
the locality has the right to appoint board members, directors, or managers.