9th Circuit Affirms Dismissal of Reno's Franchise Fee Suit Against Netflix and Hulu
The Ninth Circuit affirmed the findings of a Nevada federal judge last week, concluding that the City of Reno had no right to assess defendants Net...
The Ninth Circuit affirmed the findings of a Nevada federal judge last week, concluding that the City of Reno had no right to assess defendants Netflix and Hulu franchise fees for the video streaming services they provide. The published opinion dismissed the Nevada Video Service Law (VSL) claim after finding that the law does not provide a private right of action. Notably, an Illinois federal court found similarly in a recent lawsuit brought under that state's video service law. The Nevada suit claims that the defendants owe franchise fees to state municipalities as video service providers, likening them to traditional cable providers who use public rights-of-way or municipal infrastructure to provide access.