Dear ARRL Pacific Division Members,<\/p>\n
Many of you have seen that the Amateur Radio Parity Act has been
\nintroduced in the U.S. Senate as S.1534, and has been referred to
\ncommittee for review.\u00a0 This is wonderful news following the unanimous
\npassage of H.R.555 in the House of Representatives this past January.
\nVice Director Jim Tiemstra, K6JAT, and I recently returned from the July
\nARRL board meeting at headquarters in Connecticut.\u00a0 There we learned
\nthat an estimated 90% of all new housing in the U.S. contains covenants,
\nwith the majority of those having boilerplate antenna restrictions.
\nThis means that as housing expands, Amateur Radio will face increasing
\nrestrictions.<\/p>\n
It is important to realize that H.R.555\/S.1534 is a bill resulting from
\nnegotiations between ARRL and the Community Associations Institute
\n(CAI), both of whom have approved the wording of the bill.\u00a0 \u00a0Some have
\nquestioned whether this bill goes far enough to favor Amateur Radio.\u00a0 It
\ndoes!\u00a0 At this time, deed-restricted neighborhoods have the authority to
\nabsolutely deny outside antenna installations, with no recourse.\u00a0 This
\nbill will guarantee the right of an amateur radio operator to have an
\neffective outdoor antenna.\u00a0 It is time for ALL of us to come together,
\nand get this important bill passed!<\/p>\n
We are now the closest we have ever been to obtaining antenna relief in
\ndeed-restricted neighborhoods.\u00a0 If passed and enacted, the Amateur Radio
\nParity Act will be the most important piece of Amateur Radio legislation
\nsince the FCCs 1985 PRB-1 regulation.\u00a0 That\u2019s over 30 years, or an
\nentire generation, of no added antenna relief.\u00a0 To make S.1534 pass,
\nhowever, we need your help again.\u00a0 Below is a hyperlink to an app called
\nRALLY CONGRESS.\u00a0 By clicking on the link (or copying and pasting in your
\nbrowser) and completing some contact information, within two minutes you
\nwill generate a letter that will let both of your respective U.S.
\nsenators know that you want them to vote for this bill. Time is critical
\nas we expect the bill to be heard before committee soon, and if passed
\nin committee, it could go to the floor of the senate for a vote within a
\nmatter of weeks.\u00a0 Please take a moment NOW to click on the hyperlink and
\nshare with your senators your support for S.1534, the Amateur Radio
\nParity Act.\u00a0 Thank you.<\/p>\n