47 USC § 556 - Coordination of Federal, State, and local authority

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t47/s556"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "47 USC § 556 - Coordination of Federal, State, and local authority"
title_number: 47
title_name: "TELECOMMUNICATIONS"
section_number: "556"
section_name: "Coordination of Federal, State, and local authority"
chapter_number: 5
chapter_name: "WIRE OR RADIO COMMUNICATION"
subchapter_number: "V–A"
subchapter_name: "CABLE COMMUNICATIONS"
part_number: "IV"
part_name: "Miscellaneous Provisions"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2025-08-11"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(June 19, 1934, ch. 652, title VI, § 636, as added Pub. L. 98–549, § 2, Oct. 30, 1984, 98 Stat. 2800; amended Pub. L. 104–104, § 3(d)(3), Feb. 8, 1996, 110 Stat. 61.)"
---


# § 556. Coordination of Federal, State, and local authority

**(a)** **Regulation by States, political subdivisions, State and local agencies, and franchising authorities** Nothing in this subchapter shall be construed to affect any authority of any State, political subdivision, or agency thereof, or franchising authority, regarding matters of public health, safety, and welfare, to the extent consistent with the express provisions of this subchapter.

**(b)** **State jurisdiction with regard to cable services** Nothing in this subchapter shall be construed to restrict a State from exercising jurisdiction with regard to cable services consistent with this subchapter.

**(c)** **Preemption** section 557 of this title

Except as provided in , any provision of law of any State, political subdivision, or agency thereof, or franchising authority, or any provision of any franchise granted by such authority, which is inconsistent with this chapter shall be deemed to be preempted and superseded.

**(d)** **“State” defined** section 153 of this title

For purposes of this section, the term “State” has the meaning given such term in .

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**Source Credit**: (June 19, 1934, ch. 652, title VI, § 636, as added Pub. L. 98–549, § 2, Oct. 30, 1984, 98 Stat. 2800; amended Pub. L. 104–104, § 3(d)(3), Feb. 8, 1996, 110 Stat. 61.)

## Editorial Notes

### References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsec. (c), was in the original “this Act”, meaning , , known as the Communications Act of 1934, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see  and Tables.

### Amendments

1996—Subsec. (d).  substituted “section 153” for “section 153(v)”.

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective 60 days after , except where otherwise expressly provided, see , set out as a note under .