CABLE Leadership Act

This bill, known as the CABLE Leadership Act, amends the Communications Act of 1934 to streamline the process for obtaining new cable franchises. It mandates that local franchising authorities must approve or deny a complete request for a new franchise within 120 days of its receipt. This timeframe applies collectively to all necessary proceedings and cannot be extended by any moratoriums. Should a franchising authority fail to act within the 120-day period, the request for a new franchise will be deemed granted . Any decision to deny a franchise request must be made in writing, supported by substantial evidence contained in a written record, and publicly released to the requesting party on the day of the decision. Furthermore, the bill clarifies that a request is considered complete if the applicant takes the first procedural step and the franchising authority does not provide a written notice within 30 days identifying missing information with specific citations to public rules.