SB QST @ ARL $ARLB006   
   ARLB006 US House Subcommittee to Consider Amateur Radio Parity Act   
      
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   ARRL Bulletin 6  ARLB006   
   > From ARRL Headquarters   
   Newington CT  February 10, 2016   
   To all radio amateurs   
      
   SB QST ARL ARLB006   
   ARLB006 US House Subcommittee to Consider Amateur Radio Parity Act   
      
   The Amateur Radio Parity Act, H.R. 1301, will be among three bills that the US   
   House Subcommittee on Communications and Technology will consider in a   
   Thursday, February 11, "markup" session. The subcommittee will gather on   
   February 10 for opening statements only. When it reconvenes the next day, its   
   members could vote to send the measure to the House Energy and Commerce   
   Committee for further consideration.   
      
   The Subcommittee on Communications and Technology is chaired by Rep Greg   
   Walden, W7EQI (R-OR), who, during a January 12 Subcommittee hearing on H.R.   
   1301, called the measure "a commonsense bill" and urged his colleagues'   
   support. Subcommittee members may submit in advance any amendments they might   
   have to any of the bills being considered in the February 11 markup.   
      
   The House bill's sponsor, Rep Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) also spoke in favor of   
   H.R. 1301 at the January 12 hearing, explaining that hams in some   
   neighborhoods "are outright prohibited" from erecting antennas on their   
   properties. He cited Amateur Radio's role in emergency communication support,   
   and said his bill's "reasonable accommodation standard" would not mandate   
   placement, size, or esthetics regarding an outdoor antenna, leaving ham radio   
   operators and homeowners associations to decide those issues.   
      
   "We just simply add the same standard that has been used successfully in   
   municipal areas to other areas," he concluded.   
      
   H.R. 1301 would direct the FCC to extend its rules relating to reasonable   
   accommodation of Amateur Service communications to private land-use   
   restrictions, such as deed covenants, conditions, and restrictions. The bill   
   has attracted 120 cosponsors from both sides of the aisle. An identical US   
   Senate measure, S. 1685, has attracted 3 cosponsors. It cleared the Senate   
   Committee on Commerce,   
   Science, and Transportation last November.   
      
   At the ARRL National Convention February 12-14 at the Orlando HamCation, ARRL   
   representatives will be on hand to help visitors to generate letters of   
   support to members of Congress.   
      
   More information about the legislation is on the ARRL Amateur Radio Parity Act   
   web page at, http://www.arrl.org/amateur-radio-parity-act .   
      
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