[W3GV] Fwd: ***W3YXE*** Fw: Special Announcement re: House Bill-37 (cell-phone driving law banning amateur radio use)

[John Lis]

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: James Froncek via W3YXE <w3yxe at mailman.qth.net>
Date: Sun, Jan 26, 2020, 5:06 PM
Subject: ***W3YXE*** Fw: Special Announcement re: House Bill-37 (cell-phone
driving law banning amateur radio use)
To: W3YXE RAC Members <w3yxe at mailman.qth.net>




   ----- Forwarded Message ----- From: ARRL Members Only Web site <
memberlist at www.arrl.org>To: "jim.ka3rda at yahoo.com" <jim.ka3rda at yahoo.com>Sent:
Friday, January 24, 2020, 11:05:14 PM ESTSubject: Special Announcement re:
House Bill-37 (cell-phone driving law banning amateur radio use)
 Hello Everyone --

Pennsylvania Legislators in the House recently passed legislation
(HB-37) prohibiting the use of electronic communication devices by
drivers of motor vehicles, but it does provide one exemption: CB radios
in commercial vehicles. No other exemptions are in the legislation,
including Amateur Radio or Land Mobile radio — whether permanently
installed or hand-held. The bill was passed by the PA House last week,
and is now on its way to the Pennsylvania Senate, which will process it
over the next few months.

EPA Section Manager George Miller W3GWM, Atlantic Division Vice-Director
Bob Famiglio K3RF, ARRL HQ and I are working together to prepare a
formal statement to the Senate, and expect to deliver it very soon.

Many of our Pennsylvania radio amateurs are rightly concerned about this
and are anxious to express their concerns to our legislators. We urge
restraint in exercising your first amendment right to petition the
Government, and ask that you please confine your comments to those of a
polite, respectful and civil nature. Obscene ranting, name-calling and
personal attacks will do much more harm than good.

Better yet, allow your ARRL leaders speak in your name and represent
your (and our) best interests to those legislators who will decide the
eventual outcome. If a time comes for you to contact your local
legislators personally, we will keep you advised.

If you still have a burning desire to contact your State Senator
immediately, please be courteous and brief, and stick to the facts:

—There are more than 31,000 federally licensed Radio Amateurs in
Pennsylvania

—For the last 100 years, these volunteers have expertly provided
public service radio communications, technical expertise and other
services to their communities, free of charge

—The use of Amateur Radio by volunteers in their own vehicles has
always been permitted by Pennsylvania Law, and exemptions are provided
by current legislation now in effect

—PennDOT issues a special automotive License Plate for Amateur Radio
Operators as a completely separate category from "personalized plates"
and "Press Photographers"

—The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency recognizes the unique
radio communications capabilities of radio amateurs and calls on them to
assist in disasters through the Auxiliary Communications Service of PEMA
and local county Emergency Management Agencies

--------------------------------------------------------------------
ARRL Western Pennsylvania Section
Section Manager: Joe Shupienis, W3BC
w3bc at arrl.org
--------------------------------------------------------------------

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