It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Chapter 39-19 of the General Laws entitled "Community Antenna Television Systems" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

39-19-8.1. Administrative civil penalties. -- The administrator may in his or her discretion, in lieu of seeking a suspension or revocation of a certificate as conferred under this chapter, impose upon its regulated CATV companies an administrative penalty. Any CATV company which shall violate any of the provisions of chapter 19 of this title, or any division order, rules or regulation issued or promulgated thereunder, or shall do any act herein prohibited, or shall fail or refuse to perform any duty enjoined upon it for which a penalty has not been provided, shall be subject to a penalty of not less than two hundred dollars ($200) nor more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), and in the case of a continuing violation of any of the provisions of the chapters, every day's continuance thereof shall be and be deemed to be a separate and distinct offense.

SECTION 1. This act shall take effect upon passage.