CABLE Leadership Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 5170 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 5170 To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to preserve cable franchising authority, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 8, 2025 Mr. Balderson introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to preserve cable franchising authority, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Cable Access for Broadband and Local Economic Leadership Act'' or the ``CABLE Leadership Act''. SEC. 2. REQUEST FOR NEW FRANCHISE. Section 621 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 541) is amended by adding at the end the following: ``(g) Timing of Decision on Request for Franchise.-- ``(1) In general.--Not later than 120 days after the date on which a franchising authority receives a complete request for the grant of a franchise (other than a renewal thereof), the franchising authority shall approve or deny such request. ``(2) Deemed grant of new franchise.--If the franchising authority does not approve or deny a request under paragraph (1) by the day after the date on which the time period ends under such paragraph, such request shall be deemed granted on such day. ``(3) Applicability.--Notwithstanding any provision of this title, the timeframe under paragraph (1) shall apply collectively to all proceedings required by a franchising authority for the approval of the request. ``(4) No tolling.--The timeframe under paragraph (1) may not be tolled by any moratorium, whether express or de facto, imposed by a franchising authority on