I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4927 
To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to prohibit franchising authorities 
from requiring approval for the sale of cable systems, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
AUGUST 8, 2025 
Mrs. HOUCHIN (for herself and Mr. GOLDMAN of Texas) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to prohibit fran-
chising authorities from requiring approval for the sale 
of cable systems, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Consumer Access to 
Broadband for Local Economies and Competition Act’’ or 
the ‘‘CABLE Competition Act’’. 
SEC. 2. SALES OF CABLE SYSTEMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 627 of the Communica-
tions Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 547) is amended to read 
as follows: 
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‘‘SEC. 627. CONDITIONS OF SALE OR TRANSFER. 
‘‘(a) VALUE OF CABLE SYSTEM AFTER REVOCATION 
OF FRANCHISE.—If a franchise held by a cable operator 
is revoked under section 626(b)(2)(B) and the franchising 
authority acquires ownership of the cable system or effects 
a transfer of ownership of the system to another person, 
any such acquisition or transfer shall be at fair market 
value. 
‘‘(b) LIMITATIONS ON AUTHORITY OF FRANCHISING 
AUTHORITY WITH RESPECT TO TRANSFER OF FRAN-
CHISE.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—A franchising authority 
may not preclude a cable operator from transferring 
a franchise to any person— 
‘‘(A) to which such franchise was not ini-
tially granted; and 
‘‘(B) with respect to the terms of the fran-
chise that apply to the cable operator, who 
agrees to accept all such terms in effect at the 
time of the transfer. 
‘‘(2) NOTIFICATION.—In the case of the trans-
fer of a franchise to a person to which such fran-
chise was not originally granted, a franchising au-
thority may require a cable operator to which a fran-
chise was initially granted to, not later than 15 days 
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before the transfer of the franchise, notify the fran-
chising authority in writing of such transfer. 
‘‘(3) TRANSFER OF A FRANCHISE DEFINED.— 
In this subsection, the term ‘transfer of a franchise’ 
means the transfer or assignment of any rights 
under a franchise through any transaction, including 
through— 
‘‘(A) a merger involving the cable operator 
or cable system; 
‘‘(B) a sale of the cable operator or cable 
system; 
‘‘(C) an assignment of the cable operator 
or a cable system; 
‘‘(D) a restructuring of a cable operator or 
a cable system; or 
‘‘(E) the transfer of control of a cable op-
erator or a cable system.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section, and the amend-
ment made by subsection (a), shall take effect 6 months 
after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(c) APPLICATION.—This section, and the amendment 
made by subsection (a), shall apply to a franchise grant-
ed— 
(1) on or after the effective date established by 
subsection (b); or 
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(2) before such date, if— 
(A) such franchise (including any renewal 
term thereof) is in effect on such date; or 
(B) such franchise is expired and cable op-
erator has continued to perform under the pro-
visions of such franchise as if such franchise 
were not expired. 
Æ 
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