Amateur Radio Antennas in Mandated Properties |
Sponsor calls CC&R
bill "the right and fair thing"
CC&R BILL "THE RIGHT AND FAIR THING," SPONSOR SAYS The sponsor of a bill aimed at providing relief to amateurs faced with private deed covenants, conditions and restrictions--CC&Rs in erecting antennas--says he introduced the measure because "it's the right and fair thing to do." Freshman Rep Steve Israel (D-NY) introduced the "Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Consistency Act" on May 14. The measure--H.R. 4720--would require private land-use regulators--such as homeowners' associations--to "reasonably accommodate" Amateur Radio communication consistent with the PRB-1 limited federal preemption. PRB-1 now applies only to states and municipalities. H.R. 4720 has been assigned to the Telecommunications and Internet Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Israel, whose father, Howard, is K2JCC,
told amateurs in his home district recently that he's already hearing from
Commerce Committee members who have been contacted by their Amateur Radio
constituents regarding H.R. 4720. His remarks May 29 during a special meeting
of the Great South Bay Amateur Radio Club in Long Island, New York, marked
his first public
Israel says the FCC currently does not apply the PRB-1 limited federal preemption policy consistently, a situation he called "patently unfair" to those living in developments, where they face antenna restrictions or even outright prohibitions. H.R. 4720, Israel explained, would require entities imposing private land-use restrictions--such as homeowners' associations--to enter into good faith negotiations with amateurs in an effort to "reasonably accommodate" Amateur Radio communication--just as they do now with public land-use regulators." "In America, we are fair and consistent," Israel said. Rep Greg Walden, WB7OCE (R-OR)--the only Amateur Radio operator in Congress--and Rep Pete Sessions (R-TX) have signed on as original cosponsors of H.R. 4720. Since its introduction, the bill also has attracted two additional cosponsors--Rep J.D. Hayworth (R-AZ) and Rep. Patrick Tiberi (R-OH). The measure, which ARRL assisted in drafting,
contains a single sentence:
The ARRL encourages its members to contact
their congressional representatives and urge them to sign on as co-sponsors
and to support H.R. 4720. Visit the US House of Representatives "Write
Your Representative Service" Web page http://www.house.gov/writerep/
The League requests those writing or e-mailing
members of Congress--whether or not they are supporting this legislation--to
copy ARRL on their correspondence--via e-mail to [email protected] or via
US Mail to CC&R Bill, ARRL, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111. Correspondents
should include the bill number, H.R. 4720, as well as their name and
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