Both houses of the California legislature passed a California version of
PRB-1, only to have it vetoed by Gray Davis. Gov Davis said ham antennas
were purely a local issue.
Good luck in NY.
Bob, K9RHY
----- Original Message -----
From: "Herbert Sweet" <k2gbh@arrl.net>
To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Sent: Saturday, June 29, 2002 7:49 AM
Subject: [Towertalk] NYS PRB-1 Needs Your Help Now!
> ROM:
>
> Bernie Fuller N3EFN - Atlantic Division Director
> and
> Frank Fallon N2FF - Hudson Division Director
>
> Last Ditch Effort Needed on Tower Bill - June 28, 2002
>
> We thought it would all be over by now. It is not. Although the Senate
>
> passed S 2893 over a week ago in a 49 to 19 vote, the Assembly still has
>
> not acted on the bill. We have been attempting behind the scenes to
> overcome the opposition to the bill from the local government lobby -
> the Association of Town and the New York Council of Mayors and Municipal
>
> Officials - who see this bill as an erosion of their ability to control
> our antennas. They erroneously claim it is a home rule issue. They
> claim that they continue to need to "balance the issues" in Amateur
> antenna applications. They refuse to recognize that the FCC took it up
> itself to do the balancing almost seventeen years ago when it issued
> PRB-1. NYCOM is either lying or badly distorting the facts here. Since
>
> they were not successful in stopping the bill in the Senate they
> appear
> to have pulled out all the stops in lobbying the Assembly. We need to
> counteract them with letters, faxes, e-mails and phone calls. We are
> not happy to have to ask you to once again help but there seems to be no
>
> other way.
>
> After discussion with our sponsor, and upon his advice, we are appealing
>
> to you to help get this bill passed this year. There will be no better
> opportunity than 2002 to get it done. Please personalize the two
> letters attached and send copies to Speaker Silver, our co sponsors and
> your own assembly representative as soon as possible. If you know any
> of the members of the Rules Committee you might want to write them also.
>
> That information is available at http://www.assembly.state.ny.us
>
> Currently the assembly is not in session but we expect them to return
> either Tuesday, July 2, or the following week - July 9th for a day or
> two of sessions. Speaker Silver will determine when they return and for
>
> how long. We need to act immediately.
>
> Write Assemblyman Sheldon Silver, LOB 932, Albany, NY 12248. Telephone
>
> 518-455-3791 and fax 518-455-5459. Email speaker@assembly.state.ny.us
>
> Get your relatives, friends and neighbors to do the same. Tell your
> legislators about our long proud history of public service.
> Write-Phone-FAX-E-mail. Check http://www.hudson.arrl.org
>
> Here is a sample letter to send to speaker Silver. Please personalize it
>
> and send it.
>
>
> June 27, 2002
> Speaker Sheldon Silver
> New York State Assembly
> 932 LOB
> Albany, NY 12248 Re: A. 1565 Tocci
>
> Dear Speaker Silver,
>
> The Senate understood our Amateur Radio antenna bill was non
> controversial and did not limit local government when they passed their
> version (S.2893) by a vote of 49 to 19 over a week ago. They clearly
> understood this is not a home rule issue for since 1985 federal law has
> taken away local government power to balance and directed local
> government to accommodate our antennas with the least regulation
> possible. They were not swayed by and saw through the lobbying effort
> of the Association of Towns and NYCOM. The Senate realized that our
> self limiting legislation was the way to insure a continued pool of
> unpaid self trained communications volunteers in a time of need such
> as
> 9/11. Over 800 ham operators worked for more than two weeks without pay
>
> during the 9/11 response. As the governor has repeatedly told us that
> he will sign the legislation, we need you to allow the Assembly to do
> the right thing and vote the bill. Please assign it a calendar number
> and send it to the floor of the Assembly before the current session
> ends.
>
> We need this law ONLY because local governments refuse to accept the
> federal law that gives hams the right to erect these support structures.
>
> Local government erroneously believes that this is a "home rule" issue;
>
> they feel they still have the right to engage in the " balancing of
> interests." Federal law has unquestionably preempted local
> law with respect to the balancing. Most local governments "just don't
> get it." That's why we need this law. Hams don't need to spend lots of
>
> money on legal fees to achieve their goals; they need this law.
> Please
> remember that hams provide their services FREE OF CHARGE. Local, state
> and federal government and the citizens of our beloved country are the
> benefactors of their work when disaster strikes.
>
> Please ignore the selfish criticism from NYCOMM and the Association of
> Towns or any other "home rule" people; they are simply spouting a knee
> jerk reaction to what they feel is loss of local control. But they have
>
> already lost local control because the Federal government preempted
> them
> with the issuance of PRB-1. This is simply "sour grapes."
>
> Hams are very angry that the selfish local government lobby simply
> ignores all the good we have done over so many years and lies about
> power being taken from them.
>
> Sincerely,
> Your name (Amateur Call) ..........
>
> The co-sponsors of A 1565 are: (Please note only two of them use
> e-mail - Fax machines may be off at night)
>
> Assemblyman Paul Tonko, 713 LOB, Albany, NY 12248, telephone
> 518-455-5197, fax 518-455-5435, email tonkop@asembly.state.ny.us
>
> Assemblyman Steve Levy, 827 LOB, Albany, NY 12248, telephone
> 518-455-5937, fax 518-455-4784, email - none
>
> Assemblyman Robin Schimminger, 847 LOB, Albany, NY 12248, telephone
> 518-455-4767, fax 518-455-4724, email schimmr@assembly.state.ny.us
>
> Assemblyman Richard Smith, 619 LOB, Albany, NY 12248, telephone
> 518-455-4462, fax 518-455-5560, email -none
>
> Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg, 731 LOB, Albany, NY 12248, telephone
> 518-455-3028, fax 518-455-5769, email - none
>
> To our cosponsors and your own representative to the Assembly send the
> following letter:
>
> June 24, 2002
>
> Assemblyman Paul Tonko
> New York State Assembly
> 713 LOB
> Albany, NY 12248 Re: A. 1565
>
> Dear Assemblyman Tonko,
>
> I have been watching the assembly video site checking progress of our
> Amateur Radio Antenna bill that Ron Tocci is sponsoring and which you
> have co-sponsored. Many New York hams are following the video when the
> session is taking place hoping to see A.1565 voted.
>
> Please help us by helping Ron get this bill to the assembly floor for a
> vote before the session ends. The bill was passed in the Senate - S
> 2893 a week ago. I am amazed that the Assembly has not yet acted.
>
> We need this law ONLY because local governments refuse to accept the
> federal law that gives hams the right to erect these support structures.
>
> Local government erroneously believes that this is a "home rule" issue;
>
> they feel they still have the right to engage in the " balancing of
> interests." Federal law has unquestionably preempted local law with
> respect to the balancing. Most local governments "just don't get it."
> That's why we need this law. Hams don't need to spend lots of money on
> legal fees to achieve their goals; they need this law. Remember, hams
> provide their services FREE OF CHARGE. Local, state and federal
> government and the citizens of our beloved country are the benefactors
> of their work when disaster strikes.
>
> Please ignore any criticism from NYCOMM and the Association of Towns and
>
> any other "home rule" people; they are simply spouting a knee jerk
> reaction to what they feel is loss of local control. But they have
> already lost local control because the Federal government preempted them
>
> with the issuance of PRB-1. This is simply "sour grapes."
>
> Many hams are very angry that the local government lobby simply ignores
> all the good we have done over so many years. We can't believe how soon
>
> they forget our volunteer efforts after the 9/11 attack.
>
> Many thanks for cosponsoring the bill and getting it this far. We hope
> that you and Ron will be able to give it that last important push this
> week.
>
> Sincerely,
> Your name (call sign)
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------
> ARRL Eastern New York Section
> Section Manager: Peter A. Cecere, N2YJZ
> n2yjz@arrl.org
> --------------------------------------------------------------------
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