Title 47 — Telegraphs, Telephones, and RadiotelegraphsRelease 119-73
§556 Coordination of Federal, State, and local authority
Title 47 › Chapter CHAPTER 5— - WIRE OR RADIO COMMUNICATION › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER V–A— - CABLE COMMUNICATIONS › Part Part IV— - Miscellaneous Provisions › § 556
Summary
State and local governments keep control over public health, safety, and welfare and can regulate cable services as long as their rules do not conflict with this federal law. Any conflicting state or local law or franchise is overridden, except as section 557. "State" is defined in section 153.
Full Legal Text
Title 47, §556
Telegraphs, Telephones, and Radiotelegraphs — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Nothing in this subchapter shall be construed to affect any authority of any State, political subdivision, or agency thereof, or franchising authority, regarding matters of public health, safety, and welfare, to the extent consistent with the express provisions of this subchapter.
(b)Nothing in this subchapter shall be construed to restrict a State from exercising jurisdiction with regard to cable services consistent with this subchapter.
(c)Except as provided in section 557 of this title, any provision of law of any State, political subdivision, or agency thereof, or franchising authority, or any provision of any franchise granted by such authority, which is inconsistent with this chapter shall be deemed to be preempted and superseded.
(d)For purposes of this section, the term “State” has the meaning given such term in section 153 of this title.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
References in Text
This chapter, referred to in subsec. (c), was in the original “this Act”, meaning act June 19, 1934, ch. 652, 48 Stat. 1064, known as the Communications Act of 1934, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 609 of this title and Tables.
Amendments
1996—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 104–104 substituted “section 153” for “section 153(v)”.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
Section effective 60 days after Oct. 30, 1984, except where otherwise expressly provided, see section 9(a) of Pub. L. 98–549, set out as a note under section 521 of this title.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
47 U.S.C. § 556
Title 47 — Telegraphs, Telephones, and Radiotelegraphs
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73