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TELECOM from page 1 .............................................. The hearing was the first of two scheduled hear- ings leading up to a markup of the bill, which is tentatively scheduled to take place next month. The May 18 hearing focused primarily on the legislation's intent to increase competition in the video service market to the benefit of consumers. All senators present for the hearing voiced their support for the measure's goal of expediting the entry of new providers into the market. However, several senators also expressed reservations with the bill's proposed plan to achieve this objective through the establishment of a national franchise system that would shift control of public rights of way to the Federal Communica- tions Commission (FCC). Chairman Stevens was sympathetic to these concerns, and emphasized that the measure before the committee was still merely a draft. He committed to work with the national local govern- ment groups who raised this and other concerns. . . . . . . . . . Sen. Barbara Boxer (Calif.) was particularly. vocal about the effect that the draft measure would: have on local governments, raising many of the . League's major concerns with the bill, including : rights-of-way, build-out and anti-redlining. : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Boxer Support for Local Concerns Michael Guido, vice chairman of the U.S. Conference of Mayors Transportation and Com- munications Committee and mayor of Dearborn, Michigan, offered testimony at the hearing on behalf of local government. Mayor Guido did an outstanding job of presenting local governments' positions on rights-of-way and consumer protec- tion, as well as the need to include build-out provisions in any federal telecommunications law reform legislation. A copy of the mayor's testimony is available at www.cacities.ora/telecom. You can also view the full panel of witnesses on the committee's website at httD://commerce.senate.gov. The committee will post the prepared testimony of all participating witnesses at this address within the next several days. Also available at www.cacities.org/telecom is a copy of a letter that the National League of Cities, the National Association of Counties, the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the National Association of Telecommunications Officers issued to the committee's chairman and ranking member last week expressing their concerns with the legislation. While the committee had initially proposed a second hearing to be held on S. 2686 on May 25, followed by a markup of the bill on June 8, Chair- man Stevens mentioned the need for a new schedule to be developed in light of conflicting schedules of committee members. ............................... THE 2006 CITY HALL DIRECTORY IS NOW AVAILABLE! Don't miss this opportunity to get the League's most useful reference tool. This comprehensive California directory provides important contact information for mayors, council members and city department heads. The directory also features the League's staff directory, League partners, affiliate organizations and a wide variety of advertisers. INFORMATION YQU NEED, RIGHT AT YOUR FINGERTIPS! Purchase this publication online at www.cacities.org/store or call (916) 658- 8257 for an order form. City officials price $30, non-city officials price $65, plus shipping & handling. ............................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PAGE 4 - PRIORITY FOCUS May 19, 2006 - Issue #20 Visit the League's Official Website--www.cacities.org