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Bill

HB 1085

Improve Cable Service Complaint Resolutions.

2025-2026 Session Introduced by Eric Ager and 14 co-sponsors

The bill creates a state enforcement mechanism using the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division to address repeated cable service violations, with potential revenue forfei

Passed 1st Reading
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HB 1085

Summary of HB 1085 (Session 2025) — Improve Cable Service Complaint Resolutions (North Carolina)

Purpose and intent

  • Establish an enforcement mechanism through the North Carolina Department of Justice (DOJ), specifically the Consumer Protection Division, to address repeat violations by cable service providers of federal customer service requirements or the terms/conditions of their customer agreements.
  • Strengthen protections for consumers by recognizing persistent violations as unfair or deceptive acts or practices under state law.

Key provisions and changes

Section 1 — Amendments to G.S. 66-356 (Service standards and requirements)

  • Designates the Consumer Protection Division of the Attorney General’s Office as the state agency responsible for receiving, investigating, and resolving customer complaints about cable services.
  • Creates a directive for cable providers: each customer bill must include a notice directing customers to first contact the provider’s customer service, and then advise contacting the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division if the complaint is not satisfactorily resolved.
  • Establishes an enforcement trigger: two or more violations of the same federal customer service requirement or the same term/condition of the provider agreement constitutes an unfair or deceptive act or practice under G.S. 75-1.1.
  • Grants the Division the authority to bring a civil action seeking forfeiture of revenues received from subscribers in the affected area and period (subject to specified limits) for those directly affected by the violations.
    • Forfeiture amount is to be remitted to the Civil Penalty and Forfeiture Fund (G.S. 115C-457.2).
    • Note: Forfeiture does not affect cable providers’ sales tax liability under G.S. 105-164.4.
  • Important caveat: Provision clarifies that it does not apply to video streaming services (defined by the bill).

Section 1 — Operational details

  • Violations are considered unfair or deceptive only when they involve repeated offenses (two or more) of the same federal customer service requirement or the same contract term/condition.

Section 1 — Reporting requirement

  • The Division must report annually (to the Revenue Laws Study Committee) on:
    • Number of customer complaints
    • Types of complaints
    • Methods used to resolve complaints

Section 2 — Appropriations

  • FY 2026-2027 funding to DOJ:
    • Recurring funds: $133,000 to hire one Administrative Specialist I and one Program Coordinator to focus on complaints under G.S. 66-356(c).
    • Nonrecurring funds: $500,000 for implementation costs related to enforcing G.S. 66-356(c) as amended.

Section 3 — Effective dates

  • Section 2 (appropriations) becomes effective July 1, 2026.
  • The remainder of the act becomes effective June 1, 2027, and applies to violations that occur on or after that date.

Who is affected

  • Cable service providers operating in North Carolina (subject to federal customer service requirements and contractual terms).
  • North Carolina residents who subscribe to cable services and experience repeated violations.
  • Consumer Protection Division of the Attorney General’s Office (increased enforcement role and workload).
  • DOJ, via new administrative staff and implementation funding.
  • Revenue and tax administration indirectly, given the interaction with revenue forfeiture provisions (but taxes on cable service remain the provider’s liability).

Procedural and timeline notes

  • The enforcement mechanism hinges on a trigger: two or more violations of the same rule/term constitute unfair or deceptive acts.
  • Providers must include the bill notice directing complaints first to the provider, then to the Attorney General’s Office if unresolved.
  • Annual reporting to the Revenue Laws Study Committee is required, starting with data for the year ending prior to the report.
  • New enforcement tools and related forfeiture powers take effect for violations occurring on or after June 1, 2027 (Section 3 timeline).
  • Initial DOJ staffing and implementation funding are authorized for FY 2026-2027.

Potential impact

  • Enhanced accountability for cable providers with respect to customer service standards and contract terms.
  • Greater procedural clarity for consumers: a formalized path to resolution and a state-level enforcement option when providers fail to comply after multiple violations.
  • Possible financial deterrent via revenue forfeiture linked to violations.
  • Administrative and budgetary implications for the DOJ and the state’s enforcement infrastructure.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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