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ARLB023 Amateur Radio antenna "CC&R Bill" reintroduced in Congress

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ARRL Bulletin 23  ARLB023
From ARRL Headquarters  
Newington CT  September 26, 2005
To all radio amateurs 

SB QST ARL ARLB023
ARLB023 Amateur Radio antenna ''CC&R Bill'' reintroduced in Congress

New York Congressman Steve Israel has reintroduced legislation that
could make it easier for radio amateurs living in communities with
deed covenants, conditions and restrictions (CC&Rs) to erect
suitable antennas. Arkansas Congressman Mike Ross, WD5DVR, signed
aboard as an original cosponsor of the ''Amateur Radio Emergency
Communications Consistency Act'' (HR 3876).

ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, has encouraged League members to
write their elected representative and ask that they cosponsor and
support the bill, especially given two hurricane emergencies in
short order.

''Amateur Radio is certainly a part of this nation's communications
infrastructure,'' Haynie said. ''What we're asking for is just a
fair shake so we can put up antennas and help our fellow citizens.''
While the League has ramped up its efforts to educate members of
Congress about Amateur Radio, Haynie said lawmakers respond best to
individual members.

The one-sentence measure is identical to the text of the CC&R bill
that has been introduced in the last two sessions of Congress. It
would put private land-use regulations, such as homeowners'
association rules, on the same legal plane as state or local zoning
regulations under the FCC's PRB-1 limited federal preemption. PRB-1
now applies only to states and municipalities.

HR 3876 has been assigned to the House Energy and Commerce
Committee. Information about the bill and a sample letter to use
when contacting your representative are available on the ARRL Web
site, www.arrl.org/govrelations/hr3876/.

In his public announcement September 19, Israel said that ''often
unsung'' Amateur Radio volunteers were instrumental in helping
residents in the hardest hit areas in the wake of Hurricane Katrina,
including saving stranded flood victims in Louisiana and
Mississippi.

''State and local governments, as well as disaster relief agencies,
could not possibly afford to replace the services that radio
amateurs dependably provide for free,'' said a statement from
Israel's office. ''However, the hundreds of thousands of Amateur
Radio licensees face burdensome regulations that make it extremely
difficult to provide their public services.''
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