MississippiHB 16642026 Regular SessionHouseWALLET

Mississippi Video Service Act; create.

Your PRIA Score

Score Hidden

Personalized for You

How does this bill affect your finances?

Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.

Free to start

Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

6 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 5 mixed.

Protections for cable and video customers

Providers may not refuse service to a group because of residents' income. They must follow the federal customer-service standards in place on January 1, 2026. Providers must give cities a direct contact and keep a local or toll-free number, use an informal complaint process, and join confidential, nonbinding mediation with costs shared with the city if issues remain. Customers get at least 30 days' written notice before rate, programming, or channel-position changes within the provider's control; electronic notice is allowed.

Keep community channels and access

When a provider first serves an area, it must reserve space for community channels (public, education, and government). It must carry up to three such channels, or one channel if no incumbent existed. The provider must carry PEG programming and give one connection point to each distribution site. It may place PEG on a widely subscribed tier or in an app, but must give 30 days' notice before moving a PEG channel. When networks interconnect, the requesting provider pays interconnection costs. Public, school, and government producers run their own content, must provide compatible feeds, and governments pay for moving the connection point.

New state video franchise system in 2026

Beginning June 1, 2026, a video company may operate only with a local franchise or a state Certificate of Franchise Authority. Incumbents choose to keep a local franchise or move to a state certificate; getting a state certificate ends the local franchise for that area. A provider cannot hold both for the same area. State certificates are nonexclusive, last 10 years, and renew in 10-year periods. Local franchises also may not last longer than 10 years from when they began.

Simpler state process for video certificates

Applicants must show legal, financial, and technical fitness and proof of FCC filings. They must carry at least $1,000,000 per-occurrence general and auto liability insurance and file a $1,000,000 master performance bond or agree to post an individual bond on request. The Secretary of State notifies the applicant within 30 days if the filing is complete and issues the certificate within 15 days after it is complete. Certificates can be transferred with notice, and service areas can be changed 10 days after filing. The Secretary may charge filing and amendment fees.

Street work rules and upkeep for providers

Local governments must let certificate holders build and maintain lines in public streets on fair, non-discriminatory terms. Providers still must follow zoning, get permits, and meet safety and engineering rules. Cities and counties may charge reasonable, cost-based fees for permits, inspections, street repair, and traffic control and may require relocation for public projects at the provider's cost. Providers may offer other services over existing lines without new franchises, but permits are needed for new or major equipment work. Providers must keep equipment safe, fix hazards at once, repair within 30 days, do routine fixes within 90 days, and remove abandoned gear within 180 days (60 days for duplicates). The Secretary of State is the exclusive regulator for certificate holders; local franchises are not required, but local right-of-way rules still apply.

City video fees on providers

Cities and counties may charge a video service provider fee on gross revenue. The fee must be equal across providers, cannot be higher than the federal limit, and cannot be over 5%. Local governments must give 90 days' written notice before setting or changing a fee; changes take effect 90 days later. If an incumbent exists, a new provider pays the lower of the incumbent's rate or the federal maximum; if the locality does not respond in 60 days, the federal maximum applies. Providers pay quarterly, 45 days after each quarter ends; late amounts accrue interest at the civil judgment rate. Providers must send gross-revenue reports, keep records three years, and may be audited no more than once a year. Providers may show the fee as a separate line on bills; after at least 90 days' annexation notice, annexed customers are treated as city subscribers starting the first day of the next calendar quarter.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

Brent Powell
Republican • House

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 275 • No: 12

House vote • 3/12/2026

Concurred in Amend From Senate

Yes: 120 • No: 0

Senate vote • 3/10/2026

Passed As Amended

Yes: 51 • No: 0 • Other: 1

House vote • 2/5/2026