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That's all on line. S. 1685, the Senate bill has passed committee but has not yet been scheduled for a floor vote: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/s1685 H.R. 1301, the House bill, has been "heard" by committee but has not been passed ("marked up") by committee yet: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/hr1301 These must be acted on by January 3, 2017 or the process will need to re-start with the 115th Congress.
It was voted out of the Senate committee late last year, and the next step there is the full Senate. I've not seen any prediction or timetable for a vote there. It had a hearing in the House subcommittee a couple weeks ago, and that subcommittee will vote 'soon'. It has until the end of this year (2016) to be acted on, or we start over again. The House bill HR 1301 has 120 cosponsors. See if your representative is one here.
Good idea. Probably easier to pass and harder for the HOA lobby to fight, especially in states that have already seen fit to limit HOA powers due to abuses. I'm told it's generally easier and faster to sue in state court rather than federal court if need be later to enforce it. If the federal ARPA passes, so much the better.
I wrote my representative and both senators a long time ago, and have also written to others who don't represent me just because it felt good to write to them. Here, one senator -- Feinstein -- also took a phone call and advised she's heard from several in favor of ARPA and one against, so her constituency was clearly in favor...at least at the time, which was in September. Keep writing and calling. It will make a difference.
Very interesting at a state-level point of view. A little long but Gary, I did watch it all the way through. While I uderstand the spirit and intent of HOA restrictions I sometimes think they are too far overreaching, especially by those who either don't LIVE in the community or those builders who register HOA CCRs with the city where the homes are built and then leave NO HOA in place. That means if you neighbor sees a violation of the HOA CCR, they take you to court and then the judicial part of the city gov't becomes the default prosecution since they is no HOA board to appeal to or to make ANY changes to the existing HOAs. To me, the city is allowing builders to practically make law (rules) about private property and then the builders enjoy a city judicial system to keep those laws (rules) in place with NO chance of changes. And while many of the HOA CCRs are created to guide people towards community standards, they will never be all inclusive because you can't regulate common sense. You can write a CCR that says no boats in your driveway, only behind the front line of the house on either side; but you can't keep that boat owner from painting it PINK with PURPLE stripes and dots. The list is endless with things you CAN'T make a homeowner do. If you need to write CCRs, keep them simple, make them realistic and have a method in place to appeal or make changes. If you don't do that, those who are harnessed by CCRs will find a way around their specific issue and hard feelings are created. Just my .02. Randy KA4AQM Chesapeake VA
Here is the easy way to contact those Reps in your state https://arrl.rallycongress.net/ctas/urge-congress-to-support-amateur-radio-parity-act
This is a copy of the letter I have sent to my congressperson. I used the ARRL template as a guide and base and added a few comments of my own; February 4, 2016 Dear Rep. Nita Lowey (NY-17): I am a constituent in your District and I want to bring an issue to your attention. I am a federally licensed Amateur Radio operator, one of nearly three-quarters of a million licensees of the Federal Communications Commission in the United States. We provide communications support for, and participate in public service events on behalf of our communities. During and in the aftermath of disasters and emergencies, when other forms of communications are unavailable, we provide communications for first responders and Federal, state and local governmental agencies and non-governmental agencies, including the Red Cross and Salvation Army; for the United States Military through the Military Auxiliary Radio System (MARS); and to our neighbors when communications systems are overloaded or fail. Radio Amateurs contribute to the future of telecommunications as we participate in the development of innovative technology in this digital age. Amateur Radio is non-commercial, and we provide our services at no charge to anyone. We cannot do any of these things, however, unless we can erect an outdoor antenna at our residences. A bi-partisan Bill, H.R. 1301 - “The Amateur Radio Parity Act”, was introduced by Congressman Adam Kinzinger (IL-16) with Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02) and currently has 120 co-sponsors. HR 1301 directs the FCC to extend their existing PRB-1 regulations of “reasonable accommodation” of Amateur Radio communications to include private land use regulators. This would afford us the ability to negotiate with homeowner’s associations in residential developments. Private land use regulations routinely include restrictions that completely preclude Amateur Radio communications operators from installing any type of outdoor antenna system. The “reasonable accommodation” policy has been the standard for over 30 years in municipal zoning ordinances. This Bill would extend the policy to operators living under private land use restrictions. The FCC has asked Congress for guidance in this area and this Bill provides it. I delivered a letter to your New City office more than a year ago requesting your support for the amateur radio parity bill. This would have been sometime during the last congress I believe. I have been told that while you support the bill you can not sign on as a co-sponsor because of your then position in the house. Is this still the case or can you co-sponsor this worthwhile bill and try to get it passed. The bill has bi-partisan support from representative of both parties. Amateur radio is a federally licensed activity yet there are those who feel that they are in a position which removes this federal power by disallowing amateur radio activities in many newer neighborhoods. There are states in this country where purchasing a home where the owner can install an antenna on their property and also purchase high speed internet at the same residence is virtually impossible. Amateur radio operators shouldn't be forced into making the choice of using their licensed privileges with few amenities or living in areas where other state of the art services are available but remove the individuals right to make use of their license within their own house and yet,in many cases that is the choice many of us have to make today,all because so called private communities are preventing us from using our federally licensed privileges As your constituent, I am asking that you support the bill by signing-on as a cosponsor. Please contact Rep. Kinzinger’s office to do so. If you have any questions, please contact ARRL, the national association for Amateur Radio, attention Dan Henderson, at 860.594.0236. Thank you. Sincerely, https://arrl.rallycongress.net/
KSP, nice letter; sometimes it pays to point out our "numbers" are really very small (even 3/4 million is very small) and with 2/10ths of 1% of the population being licensed amateurs and maybe half that desiring to install visible outdoor home antennas, and maybe 1/3 of that number being in HOAs, the overall "impact" of this legislation is miniscule to everyone except those who will finally be able to use their equipment effectively at home. It's a little bit like allowing homeowners to build ships inside bottles in their driveways. I know my Congressman "got" that and agreed.
Note the bolded text that appears to be self-contradictory. Hams provide communication support but don't already have antennas? Hams currently have the ability to negotiate with HOAs. HR1301/S1685 would FORCE HOAs to reconsider contracts/agreements/promises/whatever that hams freely agreed to. At the national level, approximately 25% of all homes are in a HOA. That's hardly "routine". HOAs can't disallow Amateur Radio activity. They can disallow Amateur Radio antennas but, there are alternatives such as mobile, portable, and remote that may be viable to many hams. In fact, when hams are needed, we're most needed AT/NEAR the disaster site. At home... not so much. This was hard to read. At least you used the proper term (ham radio is a privilege).
Hi Steve! Let me add the Tip O'Neill perspective here. Yep, the overall numbers are small at the national level. But only the President, in this chain of becoming law, is elected at the national level, and that through indirect democratic counts. But, as my Senator's staffer (Sen Roger Wicker R-MS) whom I got to submit the Senate version told me. Frank you hae 5,500 licensed hams in Mississippi. We assume all have a constituent interest in this bill being submitted. Do you realize that this number is HUGE for a constituent-drive issue in this state? So...to one's local member of Congress or a Senate member, the number of licensed hams in a CD or a State may or may not be "small". Thanks for your insightful input on this and other matters! 73, Frank K4FMH
