Part 1 Cable Television Act of 1977 7-59-101 – 7-59-108
Part 2 Overlapping Franchises 7-59-201 – 7-59-208
Part 3 Competitive Cable and Video Services Act 7-59-301 – 7-59-318

Terms Used In Tennessee Code > Title 7 > Local Government Functions > Chapter 59 - Cable Television

  • Access: means that a provider is capable of providing cable service or video service at the household address regardless of whether any customer has ordered service or whether the owner or landlord or other responsible person has granted access to the household. See Tennessee Code 7-59-303
  • Adjourn: A motion to adjourn a legislative chamber or a committee, if passed, ends that day's session.
  • Administrative judge: means an agency member, agency employee or employee or official of the office of the secretary of state, licensed to practice law and authorized by law to conduct contested case proceedings pursuant to §. See Tennessee Code 4-5-102
  • Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
  • Agency: means each state board, commission, committee, department, officer, or any other unit of state government authorized or required by any statute or constitutional provision to make rules or to determine contested cases. See Tennessee Code 4-5-102
  • Allegation: something that someone says happened.
  • Amendment: A proposal to alter the text of a pending bill or other measure by striking out some of it, by inserting new language, or both. Before an amendment becomes part of the measure, thelegislature must agree to it.
  • Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
  • Appellate: About appeals; an appellate court has the power to review the judgement of another lower court or tribunal.
  • Appropriation: The provision of funds, through an annual appropriations act or a permanent law, for federal agencies to make payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes. The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization
  • Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
  • Attachment: A procedure by which a person's property is seized to pay judgments levied by the court.
  • Cable service: means :
    (A) The one-way transmission to subscribers of video programming or other programming service. See Tennessee Code 7-59-201
  • Cable service provider: means a provider of cable service. See Tennessee Code 7-59-303
  • Cable system: means a facility consisting of a set of closed transmission paths and associated signal generation, reception, and control equipment that is designed to provide cable service that includes video programming and that is provided to multiple subscribers within a community. See Tennessee Code 7-59-201
  • Cable system: has the meaning set forth in 47 U. See Tennessee Code 7-59-303
  • Class: when used with reference to membership interests, means a category of membership interests that differs in one (1) or more rights or preferences from another category of membership interests of the LLC. See Tennessee Code 48-202-101
  • Code: includes the Tennessee Code and all amendments and revisions to the code and all additions and supplements to the code. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Code: means any published compilation of rules and regulations that has been prepared by technical trade associations or model code organizations regulating building construction, plumbing and gas installation, fire prevention, any portion of such rules, or any amendment of such rules. See Tennessee Code 5-20-101
  • Committee: means the county financial management committee. See Tennessee Code 5-21-102
  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • Contested case: means a proceeding, including a declaratory proceeding, in which the legal rights, duties or privileges of a party are required by any statute or constitutional provision to be determined by an agency after an opportunity for a hearing. See Tennessee Code 4-5-102
  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • County governing body: means that body in a particular county that is vested with the power to levy property taxes. See Tennessee Code 7-1-101
  • County mayor: means and includes "county executive" unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Court: includes every court and judge having jurisdiction in the case. See Tennessee Code 48-202-101
  • Days: means calendar days. See Tennessee Code 7-59-303
  • Department: means the Tennessee public utility commission. See Tennessee Code 7-59-303
  • Department: means the finance department. See Tennessee Code 5-21-102
  • Devise: To gift property by will.
  • Director: means the director of the finance department. See Tennessee Code 5-21-102
  • Directors: means natural persons, designated in the charter or bylaws or elected or appointed by the incorporators, and their successors and natural persons elected or appointed to act as members of the board, irrespective of the names or titles by which such persons are described. See Tennessee Code 48-51-201
  • Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
  • Docket: A log containing brief entries of court proceedings.
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Ex officio: Literally, by virtue of one's office.
  • Financial rights: means a member's or holder's rights to:
    (A) Share in profits and losses, as provided in §. See Tennessee Code 48-249-102
  • Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
  • Franchise: means an initial authorization or renewal of an authorization issued by a franchising authority, whether such authorization is designated as a franchise, permit, license, resolution, contract, certificate, agreement, or otherwise, that authorizes the construction or operation of a cable system. See Tennessee Code 7-59-201
  • Franchise: has the meaning set forth in 47 U. See Tennessee Code 7-59-303
  • Franchise area: means , with respect to a large telecommunications provider that is a holder of a state-issued certificate of franchise authority, the aggregate geographic area containing its basic local exchange wire-line telephone service areas within the state. See Tennessee Code 7-59-303
  • Franchise authority: means "franchising authority" as set forth in 47 U. See Tennessee Code 7-59-303
  • Franchising authority: means any governmental entity empowered by federal, state, or local law to grant a franchise. See Tennessee Code 7-59-201
  • Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
  • Garbage and rubbish collection service: means and includes all operations of all manpower and equipment, whether employed or owned by the county or by some other entity, public or private, with which the county may choose to contract, for the gathering, removal and transporting of refuse produced by the area to be served. See Tennessee Code 5-19-102
  • Garbage and rubbish disposal service: means and includes all composting or other processing plants, incinerators, sanitary landfills and all other sites or facilities for the receiving, processing and getting rid of collected refuse, whether publicly or privately owned or operated, or both. See Tennessee Code 5-19-102
  • Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
  • Gross revenues: means :
    (A) With respect to a holder of a state-issued certificate of franchise authority, all revenues received from subscribers in the applicable municipality or unincorporated county area for providing cable or video services, and all revenues received from nonsubscribers in the applicable municipality or unincorporated county area for advertising services and as commissions from home shopping services, as allocated pursuant to subdivision (11)(B). See Tennessee Code 7-59-303
  • Hearing officer: means an agency member, agency employee or employee or official of the office of the secretary of state, not licensed to practice law, and authorized by law to conduct a contested case proceeding pursuant to §. See Tennessee Code 4-5-102
  • Highway: includes public bridges and may be held equivalent to the words "county way" "county road" or "state road". See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • holder: means a person, other than a member, owning any financial rights in an LLC. See Tennessee Code 48-249-102
  • Household: means an apartment, a house, a mobile home, or any other structure or part of a structure intended for residential occupancy as separate living quarters. See Tennessee Code 7-59-303
  • Incumbent cable service provider: means any cable service provider who provided cable service in a municipality or in an unincorporated area of a county on July 1, 2008, under a franchise whether or not the franchise had expired on July 1, 2008. See Tennessee Code 7-59-303
  • Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.
  • Interest: means either or both of the following rights under the organic law of an unincorporated entity:
    (A) The right to receive distributions from the entity either in the ordinary course or upon liquidation. See Tennessee Code 48-11-201
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Lands: includes lands, tenements and hereditaments, and all rights thereto and interests therein, equitable as well as legal. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Large telecommunications provider: means a cable or video service provider using telecommunications facilities to provide cable or video service that, as of January 1, 2008, directly or through any subsidiary or affiliate, had more than one million (1,000,000) telecommunications access lines in this state. See Tennessee Code 7-59-303
  • Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). Source: OCC
  • Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity.
  • License: includes the whole or part of any agency, permit, certificate, approval, registration, charter or similar form of permission required by law. See Tennessee Code 4-5-102
  • Licensing: includes the agency process respecting the grant, denial, renewal, revocation, suspension, withdrawal or amendment of a license. See Tennessee Code 4-5-102
  • LLC: means a limited liability company, organized under chapters 201-248 of this title. See Tennessee Code 48-202-101
  • Member: means a person that has been admitted to an LLC as a member, as provided in §. See Tennessee Code 48-249-102
  • Member-managed: means an LLC organized pursuant to this title that has elected pursuant to §. See Tennessee Code 48-202-101
  • Month: means a calendar month. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
  • Oral argument: An opportunity for lawyers to summarize their position before the court and also to answer the judges' questions.
  • Order: means an agency action of particular applicability that determines the legal rights, duties, privileges, immunities or other legal interests of a specific person or persons. See Tennessee Code 4-5-102
  • Other governing body: means only that body having the taxing authority. See Tennessee Code 5-19-102
  • Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
  • Party: means each person or agency named or admitted as a party, or properly seeking and entitled as of right to be admitted as a party. See Tennessee Code 4-5-102
  • Person: means an individual or an entity. See Tennessee Code 48-249-102
  • Person: means any individual, partnership, corporation, association, governmental subdivision, or public or private organization of any character, including another agency. See Tennessee Code 4-5-102
  • Person: includes a corporation, firm, company or association. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Pleadings: Written statements of the parties in a civil case of their positions. In the federal courts, the principal pleadings are the complaint and the answer.
  • Policy: means any statement, document, or guideline prepared or issued by any agency pursuant to its delegated authority that merely defines or explains the meaning of a statute or a rule. See Tennessee Code 4-5-102
  • Proceeding: means any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, and whether formal or informal. See Tennessee Code 48-249-102
  • Property: includes both personal and real property. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Public right-of-way: means the area on, along, below, or above a public roadway, highway, street, sidewalk, alley, bridge or waterway that is not private property. See Tennessee Code 7-59-303
  • Publication: means a posting of materials on the appropriate website by the secretary of state that have been submitted in accordance with this chapter or any other information for which the secretary of state is responsible. See Tennessee Code 4-5-102
  • Record: means information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in a perceivable form. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Remand: When an appellate court sends a case back to a lower court for further proceedings.
  • Reporter: Makes a record of court proceedings and prepares a transcript, and also publishes the court's opinions or decisions (in the courts of appeals).
  • Representative: when applied to those who represent a decedent, includes executors and administrators, unless the context implies heirs and distributees. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Road: includes public bridges and may be held equivalent to the words "county way" "county road" or "state road". See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Rule: includes the establishment of a fee and the amendment or repeal of a prior rule. See Tennessee Code 4-5-102
  • Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.
  • Settlement: Parties to a lawsuit resolve their difference without having a trial. Settlements often involve the payment of compensation by one party in satisfaction of the other party's claims.
  • sex: means a person's immutable biological sex as determined by anatomy and genetics existing at the time of birth and evidence of a person's biological sex. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • signed: includes a mark, the name being written near the mark and witnessed, or any other symbol or methodology executed or adopted by a party with intention to authenticate a writing or record, regardless of being witnessed. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
  • Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
  • Testify: Answer questions in court.
  • Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
  • Transcript: A written, word-for-word record of what was said, either in a proceeding such as a trial or during some other conversation, as in a transcript of a hearing or oral deposition.
  • Transfer: means an assignment, conveyance, deed, bill of sale, lease, mortgage, security interest, encumbrance, gift and transfer by operation of law. See Tennessee Code 48-249-102
  • Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.
  • United States: includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.
  • Video programming: means programming provided by, or generally considered comparable to programming provided by, a television broadcast station or cable system. See Tennessee Code 7-59-201
  • Video programming: means programming provided by, or generally considered comparable to programming provided by a television broadcast station, as set forth in 47 U. See Tennessee Code 7-59-303
  • Video service provider: means a provider of video service. See Tennessee Code 7-59-303
  • written: includes printing, typewriting, engraving, lithography, and any other mode of representing words and letters. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Year: means a calendar year, unless otherwise expressed. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105