House Passes Mayes' Plan to Establish Video Franchising Dispute Rules

Lawmaker's Plan Clarifies Dispute Resolution Process For Customers, Provide

March 8, 2009
By: MyBayCity Staff

PRESS RELEASE: The Michigan House of Representatives yesterday passed a plan proposed by State Representative Jeff Mayes (D-Bay City) that will place into law rules governing the state's video franchising dispute laws. These changes will establish a dispute resolution process, allowing disputed claims that have been hung up for months or years to move forward.

"This common-sense plan will not only protect consumers, it will also give local governments a way to resolve their pending disputes in front of an independent, impartial body," said Mayes, Chair of the House Energy and Technology Committee. "I applaud the bipartisan commitment that we've reached, and I hope that the Senate will move quickly to get this long-overdue plan to the Governor's desk."

The plan puts into law dispute resolution procedures under the authority of the Michigan Public Service Commission (PSC). Under the terms of the Uniform Video Services Local Franchise Act, signed in 2006, the Legislature must approve dispute resolution procedures to be codified into law.

Mayes' plan establishes dispute resolution procedures for three types of disputes:

· Customer complaints against providers that have not been resolved via a provider's dispute resolution process.

· Disputes between providers and local units of government.

· Disputes between providers.

In addition, Mayes' plan also requires video providers to establish a dispute resolution process if they have not already done so, inform consumers annually of that process, and to post it to their Web site.

"In these tough economic times, we need to make sure that consumers are getting a fair shake," Mayes said. "By putting these rules into law, we're making sure that this is a fair and equitable process for all involved."