Following yesterday’s announcement of the record-breaking consumer fraud settlement with Charter Communications, Assemblyman Santabarbara highlights a number of unaddressed issues not addressed in the decision concerning unfair pricing and overcharging.

Assemblyman Santabarbara is planning to pursue several pieces of legislation in the upcoming legislative session to address constituent concerns about unfair cable television, internet and related services. Among the legislation are the following bills:

Cable Ratepayer Protection (Assembly Bill A.11130): This legislation would create cable rate parity, requiring that special pricing plans or any new plans made available to new customers are also made available to any existing customers at the same cost savings.

Fair Cable Billing (Assembly Bill A.3025): Currently, cable companies charge monthly leasing fees for equipment that's necessary to access their service and continue to charge the customer long after the actual cost of the equipment is exceeded. This legislation will prohibit this practice by allowing the provider to charge monthly fees ONLY UP TO the actual cost of the equipment.

Independent Utility Consumer Advocate (Assembly Bill A.7293-A): This legislation would establish an independent office that represents ratepayers to review customer complaints and would have the power to challenge overcharging and unfair pricing in court.

“Yesterday’s settlement was a step forward in the fight for fair cable television pricing, but there are more issues that must be addressed.� said Assemblyman Santabarbara. “This issue has been of great concern to many, especially for those on a fixed income. The recent changes we have seen in the way cable television is delivered and accessed in our homes are simply making service unaffordable,� Santabarbara added. “With growing concerns about the rising cost of cable service in our area, this much-needed extra layer of protection for ratepayers is designed to crack down on overcharging and unfair pricing.�