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HB 2687

Requires telecommunications and television companies to remove abandoned underground lines and facilities

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Bill Falkner

Missouri HB 2687 would require telecom and TV companies to remove abandoned underground lines and facilities to improve safety, right-of-way management, and site cleanliness.

Referred: Emerging Issues(H)
#excavation #telecommunications #utilities
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HB 2687

Bill overview

HB 2687 (Missouri, 2026) would require telecommunications and television companies to remove abandoned underground lines and facilities. The bill aims to address safety, environmental, and right-of-way concerns associated with long-unused underground infrastructure.

Purpose and intent

  • Ensure that underground telecom and TV lines and related facilities that are no longer in service are removed.
  • Reduce hazards (e.g., physical obstruction, equipment failure, or safety risks) and improve public right-of-way management.
  • Promote site cleanliness and potentially streamline future utility deployment by clearing abandoned infrastructure.

Key provisions and changes

  • Obligation to Remove: Telecommunications and television companies operating underground lines and facilities are required to remove abandoned or unused assets that are no longer necessary for service.
  • Scope of Underground Assets: Applies to underground cables, conduits, vaults, handholes, splice boxes, and other related underground facilities used for telecommunications and television services.
  • Definition of Abandoned/Inactive: The bill would specify criteria for when a line or facility is considered abandoned or inactive, triggering mandatory removal.
  • Removal Standards: The bill is likely to set standards for how removal must be conducted (e.g., safety protocols, debris containment, proper disposal, and site restoration).
  • Timeline and Notice: Provisions may establish timelines for initiating removal after designation as abandoned and any required notice to affected customers, municipalities, or utilities.
  • Coordination with Property Owners: Requirements to coordinate with property owners and landowners where underground infrastructure is located.
  • Costs and Cost Allocation: Provisions may address who bears the cost of removal or whether costs can be recovered through rates or other mechanisms.
  • Penalties or Compliance: Potential enforcement provisions for non-compliance, including penalties or corrective action orders.

Note: Specific numerical thresholds (e.g., timelines, fines, or cost-sharing mechanisms) are not provided in the summary available.

Who would be affected

  • Telecommunications and television service providers with underground infrastructure in Missouri.
  • Property owners, tenants, and landowners where abandoned facilities reside.
  • Municipalities and local governments responsible for right-of-way management and street/utility coordination.
  • Potentially, customers who are served by lines slated for removal, if service continuity is impacted or if removal affects existing access to infrastructure.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Prefiled: January 5, 2026.
  • First Reading: January 7, 2026.
  • Second Reading: January 8, 2026.
  • Referred to committee: Emerging Issues (H) on May 15, 2026.
  • Next steps likely include committee hearings, potential amendments, and floor consideration. If enacted, the bill would become law according to the session’s schedule and any effective dates specified within the act.

Potential impacts and considerations

  • Public safety and environmental benefits from removing abandoned underground assets.
  • Improved clarity and efficiency in right-of-way management for municipalities and utilities.
  • Financial implications for providers, including potential removal costs and any allowable cost recovery mechanisms.
  • Transition considerations for customers and local communities during removal projects.

If you would like, I can tailor this summary to emphasize regulatory, fiscal, or public-safety perspectives or compare it to existing Missouri statutes on utility infrastructure removal.

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

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