AUGUSTA - Rep. Seth Berry, D-Bowdoinham, House chair of the Legislature's Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee, issued the following statement in response to the United States First Circuit Court of Appeals decision upholding legislation strengthening protections for community access channels:
"I want to praise the excellent work of Attorney General Frey and of Chief Deputy Attorney General Chris Taub in defending this landmark legislation. It is well past time to rein in the abuses of our two big cable monopolies, and this bill was an important step in that direction."
The Maine Legislature passed LD 1371 in 2019 with unanimous support in both the House and Senate. The legislation gives Maine communities - usually municipal governments - additional power in several areas, including negotiating franchise extensions and preventing the displacement of community television stations to remote, hard-to-find channel numbers (known as "digital Siberia"). It also improves cable access for rural areas, requiring cable companies to provide service to all areas with at least 15 residences per mile.
Berry represents House District 55: Bowdoin, Bowdoinham, Swan Island and most of Richmond. He previously served from 2006-2014, the final two years as House majority leader, and returned to the House in 2016.
Contact:
Katie Walsh [Berry], c .776-2122