Community Media Public Benefit Bill: H.575 and S.181: Vermont Senate Commitee on Transportation - Testimony on Telecom and Power

Description

Testimony on Telecom and Power at the Senate Commitee on Transportation.

On Tuesday, Senate Transportation took testimony on right of ways fees for telecom and power. The fees in statute from Title 19 (passed 1997, amended 2007) say the state shall require payment of fair market value for the use of access to state rights of way by utilities. There is a fee waiver option (less or no fee) for when the State determines it's justified. The State of Vermont has not been collecting these right of way fees at all. The committee is considering sending this matter to finance, but members were definitely interested in the potential Transportation Fund revenue - however, the concern clearly remained about the cost of any fees would end up on broadband consumers, still hindering access but in a different way. 

Rent for Leasing or Licensing State-Owned Property under the Agency’s Jurisdiction:
https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2024/WorkGroups/Senate%20Transportation/Agency%20of%20Transportation/W~Maria%20Royle~Rent%20for%20Leasing%20or%20Licensing%20State-Owned%20Property%20Under%20the%20Agency's%20Jurisdiction~2-6-2024.pdf