[Scan-DC] Petition | Co-sponsor HR.4969, the "Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2014

[Glenn Morris/KG5BUD]

Even if you do not live in an HOA, your support for this petition will help 
those of us who are stuck in one. - Glenn

https://www.change.org/petitions/u-s-house-of-representatives-co-sponsor-hr-4969-the-amateur-radio-parity-act-of-2014

HR.4969 would require the FCC, within 120 days of the Bill's passage, to 
amend the Part 97 Amateur Service rules to apply PRB-1 coverage to include 
homeowners' association regulations and deed restrictions, often referred to 
as "covenants, conditions, and restrictions" (CC&Rs). PRB-1 states that 
local governments cannot preclude Amateur Radio communications; they must 
"reasonably accommodate" amateur operations, and the state and local 
regulations must be the minimum practicable regulation to accomplish a 
legitimate governmental interest.

Presently, PRB-1 only applies to state and local zoning laws and ordinances. 
Since PRB-1 was enacted, the FCC has said several times that it would prefer 
to have some guidance from Congress before extending the policy to private 
land-use regulations. HR.4969 will provide that guidance, and give PRB-1 the 
force of Federal law.

Radio amateurs, while providing a valuable and necessary service to their 
communities, are frequently and increasingly precluded from installing 
necessary equipment (antennas, coax, etc) by unreasonable private land-use 
restrictions, including restrictive CC&R covenants. The net effect of 
HR.4969 passage will be to suppress those unreasonable restrictions and 
allow licensed amateurs to install reasonable equipment for practicing our 
hobby and having the means to serve our communities.

Regards,
Glenn Morris
KG5BUD
General Class