Opinion ID: 1268686
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Statutory Jurisdiction of the Commission.

Text: The cable companies contend that the Telecommunications Act is unconstitutionally broad and extends the Commission's jurisdiction beyond the language and intent of Article XI, Section 7. Since we have already determined that this constitutional provision is sufficiently broad to encompass the types of services at issue, it necessarily follows that the Commission, through the Telecommunications Act or other appropriate legislation, may constitutionally regulate these same services. At this time, we find it unnecessary to further examine the validity of this Act. Since it has not yet been implemented, it is impossible to determine how it will be applied to the cable companies. Moreover, the proceeding that was originally removed to this Court did not involve the Telecommunications Act and therefore, issues regarding this Act are not now properly before us. See Mountain States Telephone & Telegraph Co. v. Corporation Commission, 99 N.M. 1, 653 P.2d 501 (1982) (on removal this Court merely makes independent judgment as to whether various segments of Commission's order are just and reasonable). The cable companies also contend that Commission regulation of intrastate cable data transmission services would duplicate existing regulation by municipalities and other local franchising authorities, causing overlapping and complex dispersals of regulatory authority. They argue that the Commission may not regulate cable data transmissions in cities which have home rule status under N.M. Const. Article X, Section 6. In accordance with Section 6, a home rule municipality may exercise all legislative powers and perform all functions not expressly denied by general law or charter. The term general law as used in this section means a law that applies generally throughout the state, or is of statewide concern... . Apodaca v. Wilson, 86 N.M. 516, 521, 525 P.2d 876, 881 (1974). N.M. Const. Article XI, Section 7 (Cum.Supp. 1985) is such a general law. Although the regulatory authority at issue is not specifically denied to home rule municipalities by Article XI, the grant of the authority to the Commission makes its exercise by any other governmental body so inconsistent with the Constitution that it is equivalent to an express denial. NMSA 1978, Section 3-15-7 (Repl. 1985) of the Municipal Charter Act, NMSA 1978, Sections 3-15-1 to -16 (Repl. 1985), provides that a municipal charter shall not be inconsistent with the constitution of New Mexico. A home rule municipality may not usurp the Commission's authority to regulate pursuant to Article XI, Section 7. Both the City of Albuquerque franchise to Albuquerque Cable Television, Inc. and the City of Los Alamos franchise to Los Alamos Cable Television Co. specifically require those cable companies to comply with state regulatory laws. The cable companies' reliance upon City of Albuquerque v. New Mexico State Corporation Commission, 93 N.M. 719, 605 P.2d 227 (1979) is misplaced. City of Albuquerque involved the City's establishment of a city limousine service to and from the airport, which was determined by the Court to be a proprietary activity, purely a matter of local concern, and within the City's home rule authority. In contrast, data transmission services are clearly a matter of general statewide concern and therefore within the authority of the Commission to regulate. Moreover, Sections 7 through 12 of Article XI concerning telephone and transmission companies are specific provisions which govern over the general home rule provision of Article X, Section 6. See City of Albuquerque. American Petroleum Institute, in its amicus brief, contends that the Commission's order violates the notice provisions of the New Mexico Administrative Procedures Act (APA), NMSA 1978, Sections 12-8-1 to -25. The APA applies, however, only to an agency which is specifically placed by law under the Administrative Procedures Act. § 12-8-2(A). Livingston v. Ewing, 98 N.M. 685, 652 P.2d 235 (1982). There is no provision in the law subjecting the Commission to the provisions of the APA.