SB QST @ ARL $ARLB014   
   ARLB014 Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2015 Introduced in Congress   
      
   ZCZC AG14   
   QST de W1AW   
   ARRL Bulletin 14  ARLB014   
   > From ARRL Headquarters   
   Newington CT  March 9, 2015   
   To all radio amateurs   
      
   SB QST ARL ARLB014   
   ARLB014 Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2015 Introduced in Congress   
      
   "The Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2015" - H.R.1301 - has been   
   introduced in the US House of Representatives. The measure would   
   direct the FCC to extend its rules relating to reasonable   
   accommodation of Amateur Service communications to private land use   
   restrictions. US Rep Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) introduced the bill March   
   4 with 12 original co-sponsors from both sides of the aisle - seven   
   Republicans and five Democrats. Kinzinger also sponsored "The   
   Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2014, which died at the end of the 113th   
   Congress. H.R. 1301 is an essentially identical piece of   
   legislation.   
      
   "The introduction of H.R. 1301 with so many original co-sponsors, so   
   early in this session of Congress, is very encouraging," said ARRL   
   President Kay Craigie, N3KN. "Several additional members of Congress   
   already have agreed to be co-sponsors. This bill has momentum, but   
   introduction is only the first step. Many of the next steps will be   
   taken as ARRL members contact their US Representatives urging   
   co-sponsorship and thanking them as they sign on to the bill."   
      
   If Congress approves the legislation, and it is signed by the   
   president, H.R. 1301 would require the FCC to amend its Part 97   
   Amateur Service rules to apply the three-part test of the PRB-1   
   federal pre-emption policy to include homeowners' association   
   regulations and deed restrictions, often referred to as "covenants,   
   conditions, and restrictions" (CC&Rs). At present, PRB-1 only   
   applies to state and local zoning laws and ordinances. The FCC has   
   been reluctant to extend the same legal protections to include such   
   private land-use agreements without direction from Congress.   
      
   H.R. 1301 has been referred to the House Energy and Commerce   
   Committee. Rep Greg Walden, W7EQI (R-OR), chairs that panel's   
   Communications and Technology Subcommittee, which will consider the   
   measure. The League had worked with Walden on the 2014 bill during   
   the 113th Congress.   
      
   Among H.R. 1301 initial co-sponsors is Rep Joe Courtney (D-CT), who   
   attended the ARRL National Centennial Convention last summer to   
   speak with League officials and those attending the event about the   
   earlier bill.   
      
   Craigie encouraged ARRL members to urge their US House members to   
   sign on to the bill as a co-sponsor. The ARRL has an H.R. 1301   
   resources page on its website at, http://www.arrl.org/hr-1301 . If   
   the House member is already a co-sponsor, call the member's local   
   office or send an e-mail via the member's official website to   
   express their thanks. She called on League members to encourage   
   other hams to do the same, and to be sure to refer to the bill by   
   its number, H.R. 1301.   
      
   "Remember what those pile-ups on the W1AW portable stations sounded   
   like last year?" Craigie said. "Let's be that avid in calling for   
   even greater support in Congress for this essential legislation."   
   NNNN   
   /EX   
      
      
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