AUGUSTA - A bipartisan group of 50 Maine lawmakers has written to the Federal Communications Commissions (FCC) urging commissioners to actively support Maine's efforts to defend in court a state law requiring cable providers to pro-rate charges when a customer disconnects service.
The commonsense consumer protection measure is being challenged in federal court by cable conglomerate Charter-Spectrum, known in Maine as Spectrum, and is now pending before the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Rep. Seth Berry, D-Bowdoinham, House chair of the Legislature's Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee, sponsored LD 2031 in 2020 after Spectrum caused controversy by ending its policy of pro-rating its monthly charges when service is canceled.
"Maine cable customers should never be forced to pay for service they did not want and did not receive," said Berry. "I appreciate and applaud the hard work of Maine Attorney General Frey and his team. Today my colleagues and I urge the FCC to use its critical voice to defend both Maine's cable customers and customers throughout the United States."
Berry's measure passed 29-0 in the Senate and 131-6 in the House and was signed into law by Gov. Janet Mills in March of 2020.
"Since 2019, Maine has enacted several first-in-nation laws to protect cable customers from abuse," said Berry, who is also co-chair of the Legislature's Broadband Caucus. "These protections are more important today than ever, since cable is in many parts of Maine still the only real option for high-speed internet."
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:
Jackie Merrill [Berry] c. 812-1111