summary
Introduced
02/27/2025
02/27/2025
In Committee
02/27/2025
02/27/2025
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
194th General Court
Bill Summary
Relative to community media program funding. Advanced Information Technology, the Internet and Cybersecurity.
AI Summary
This bill establishes a comprehensive framework for regulating and collecting assessments from streaming entertainment services operating in Massachusetts, with the primary goal of supporting public, educational, and governmental (PEG) access media centers. The legislation creates a new chapter in state law defining streaming entertainment services as paid digital entertainment services delivered through public rights-of-way, and requires operators earning over $250,000 annually to pay an assessment based on their gross revenues. A PEG Access Facilities Revenue Advisory Board will be established to collect industry data and recommend an annual assessment rate that ensures PEG access facilities maintain their historical revenue levels. Streaming entertainment operators must submit bi-annual financial statements and pay assessments, with penalties for non-compliance. The bill establishes a Streaming Entertainment Fund to collect and distribute these revenues, and allows the Attorney General and local governments to take legal action against non-compliant operators. Additionally, the bill allows municipalities to create separate revenue accounts to receive and use these funds specifically for supporting access media centers. The assessment mechanism is designed to modernize funding for community media programming by capturing revenue from newer digital entertainment services, ensuring that local media centers can continue to operate and serve their communities.
Committee Categories
Business and Industry
Sponsors (63)
Joan Meschino (D)*,
Margaret Scarsdale (D)*,
Jim Arciero (D),
James Arena-Derosa (D),
Jenny Armini (D),
Brian Ashe (D),
Bruce Ayers (D),
Michelle Badger (D),
Natalie Blais (D),
Dan Cahill (D),
Simon Cataldo (D),
Jo Comerford (D),
Manny Cruz (D),
Leigh Davis (D),
David DeCoste (R),
Mindy Domb (D),
Kate Donaghue (D),
Pat Duffy (D),
Jamie Eldridge (D),
Chris Flanagan (D),
Bill Galvin (D),
Sean Garballey (D),
Colleen Garry (D),
Carmine Gentile (D),
Homar Gomez (D),
Danielle Gregoire (D),
Ryan Hamilton (D),
Jim Hawkins (D),
Chris Hendricks (D),
Natalie Higgins (D),
Hannah Kane (R),
Kristin Kassner (D),
Patrick Kearney (D),
Sally Kerans (D),
Mike Kushmerek (D),
Kathy LaNatra (D),
Jack Lewis (D),
Hadley Luddy (D),
Christopher Markey (D),
Paul McMurtry (D),
Thomas Moakley (D),
Brian Murray (D),
Tram Nguyen (D),
Jake Oliveira (D),
Steve Owens (D),
Francisco Paulino (D),
Orlando Ramos (D),
Sean Reid (D),
Dave Rogers (D),
Jeff Roy (D),
Lindsay Sabadosa (D),
Amy Sangiolo (D),
Adam Scanlon (D),
Gregory Schwartz (D),
Dan Sena (D),
Dawne Shand (D),
Priscila Sousa (D),
Tom Stanley (D),
Kenneth Sweezey (R),
Marcus Vaughn (R),
Tom Walsh (D),
Richard Wells (D),
Susannah Whipps (I),
Last Action
Senate concurred (on 02/27/2025)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H91 |
| BillText | https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H91.pdf |
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