BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                              1
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                SENATE ENERGY, UTILITIES AND COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE
                            MARTHA M. ESCUTIA, CHAIRWOMAN
          

          AB 1104 -  Levine                                 Hearing Date:   
          June 21, 2005              A
          As Amended:         April 19, 2005                Non-FISCAL      
            B

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                                      DESCRIPTION
           
           Current law  establishes minimum statewide customer service rules  
          for video service providers, which include cable television  
          service, satellite television service, and another other retail  
          provider of video service.

           This bill  adds to those rules a requirement that the video  
          provider cease billing the customer within seven business days  
          of receiving a request to terminate service, or on the last day  
          of service if the customer requests that the service be  
          terminated if the customer provides seven or more business days  
          notice.

                                      BACKGROUND
           
          Current law provides a number of protections for cable and  
          satellite television service customers.  These include a  
          requirement to make repairs promptly, posting customer payments  
          promptly, having knowledgeable company representatives available  
          to respond to customer telephone inquiries during normal  
          business hours, and providing adequate notice before raising  
          rates or deleting channels.

          This bill deals with the problem of cable operators continuing  
          to bill for service after the customer has terminated the  
          service and paid for the service up to the termination date.  In  
          other words, the customer has discontinued service, has paid all  
          charges, but continues to be billed for services which are not  
          delivered.












                                       COMMENTS
           
          It would seem unnecessary to establish a rule barring cable  
          operators from billing for services not provided, but the  
          problem exists and causes customers unnecessary hassle and  
          expense, according to the author.  The language in the bill  
          could be a little more specific in dealing with the stated  
          problem.  As currently written it would bar a cable operator  
          from billing a customer even if the customer was delinquent.   
           The author may wish to consider  replacing the language on page  
          5, lines 4-10 with the following:










































               (l)  A video provider shall terminate service within  
               seven business days of receiving a request to  
               terminate service, or on the date the customer  
               requests that service be terminated if the request is  
               made more than seven business days in advance.  A  
               video provider may not bill for services that have not  
               been provided.
           
                                   ASSEMBLY VOTES
           
          Assembly Floor                     (73-0)
          Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee                       
          (11-0)

                                       POSITIONS
           
           Sponsor:
           
          Author

           Support:
           
          None on file

           Oppose:
           
          None on file

          





























          Randy Chinn 
          AB 1104 Analysis
          Hearing Date:  June 21, 2005