(a) Purpose. The purpose of this section is to provide the Attorney General with information necessary to investigate certain conduct within the cable and broadcast network industries to determine whether unfair methods of competition are occurring in violation of 9 V.S.A. chapter 63.

(b) Reporting. Annually, beginning on January 1, 2015, each commercial broadcasting station doing business with a Vermont cable company shall report to the Attorney General any fees charged for program content retransmitted on the cable network under a retransmission consent agreement entered into pursuant to 47 U.S.C. § 325, for the prior calendar year.

(c) Investigations. The Attorney General may investigate retransmission fees charged by commercial broadcasting stations, pursuant to his or her investigatory powers established under 9 V.S.A. chapter 63.

(d) Public disclosure. The information received by the Attorney General under subsection (b) of this section shall be kept confidential and is exempt from public inspection and copying under the Public Records Act, unless otherwise ordered by a court.

(e) Enforcement. A violation of this section constitutes unfair competition under 9 V.S.A. § 2453.

(f) Rules. The Attorney General may adopt rules he or she deems necessary to implement this section. The rules, as well as any finding of unfair competition with regard to retransmission consent fees, shall not be inconsistent with the rules, regulations, and decisions of the Federal Communications Commission and the federal courts interpreting the Communications Act of 1934, as amended. (Added 2013, No. 190 (Adj. Sess.), § 29, eff. June 16, 2014; amended 2015, No. 41, § 15, eff. June 1, 2015.)