Help Make Ham Radio History in New York!

Our bills continue to make progress? 

After a lobbying visit to Albany in mid April by Hudson Division PRB-1 Task Force members the Assembly version of the bill was reported out of the Local Government Committee a week later and moved on to the Assembly Ways and Means Committee.

Task force members are in almost daily contact with the sponsors and committee leaders.

If you assembly representative is a member of the Ways and Means Committee, please contact them and ask that they ?report out? Assembly Bill 1565.  There is less than two months left before this year?s legislative session ends in early July. 

Last year, thanks to your letters, e-mails and phone calls, we were able to get our Assembly bill through three committees in the New York State Assembly before the session ended and came very close to getting our tower law enacted in New York State.  Your letters, phone calls and contacts with your local state assemblymen and senators made that happen.  We need you to do your part again in 2001.  This time we have a cosponsored bill in the Senate with four state senators signing on.  We have made real headway.  The bill is essentially the same one as last year.   We need you to do your part ? write.   Please write.

We have a bill reintroduced in Albany that will enable amateur radio operators to put up effective antennas without long, costly battles with their local governments to get a building permit. 

But that bill won?t become law unless you persuade your New York State Assemblyman and Senator to cosponsor or support Assembly Bill A 1565 (Tocci) and Senate Bill S 2893 (Volker, Larkin, Maziarz, McGee).   You need to write six letters ? and invest in $2.04 postage to pass the bills.   Help New York hams have a chance at an effective antenna!  It?s worth the effort and the postage. 

We need to point out to legislators that Amateur radio operators provide an emergency communications network that is disaster-tested and robust.  We provide this service free of charge to the citizens of New York, a service that would require many millions of dollars to replace.  We are, in many ways, like volunteer firemen but we respond to communications emergencies.  A key element of a radio amateur?s capability is a small radio tower high enough to ensure effective communication. 

Let your legislators know that federal law already requires that reasonable accommodation be made for these amateur radio support structures that serve the public interest; however local towns, municipalities and radio amateurs cannot easily bear the burden of resolving local disputes over what is ?reasonable.?  This delays replacing key elements of the amateur radio emergency network.  Hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal, court and expert witness fees are spent annually to resolve these matters. Ten states have already enacted legislation to remedy the situation. 

Therefore, it is in the interest of the citizens of New York State that there be enacted into law specific guidance regarding the minimum height below which local government and municipalities cannot restrict amateur radio antennas.  

But this bill won?t become law unless you send this message and persuade your New York State Assemblyman and Senator to cosponsor or support the bills so New York hams have a chance at an effective antenna!  

Write a letter.  Make a phone call.  Send an e-mail.  Do all three to make sure they get the message.  Ask your representatives to co sponsor or support A 1565 and S 2893.  

Contact your Assemblyman and State Senator and tell them about the benefits of Amateur Radio to your local community, the state of New York and the nation. Also write to the important Local Government Committee Chairperson, Senator Mary Lou Rath, 817 LOB, Albany, NY  12247 and Herman D. Farrell Jr., Chairman of the Assembly Ways and Means Committee, LOB 923, Albany, NY 12248.  Please send a letter or QSL card to Speaker of the Assembly, Sheldon Silver, LOB 932/CAP 349, Albany, NY 12248, and also to Senate Majority Leader, Joseph L. Bruno, 909 LOB, Albany, NY 12247. Get your relatives, friends and neighbors to do the same.  Please, ask everyone you know to tell his or her state representatives to support the bill.  We need thousands of letters to be effective!   

Amateur Radio has a long proud history of public service. Tell your Assemblyman and State Senator that we need this antenna law so that we can continue to do our important emergency communications job with no cost to the state. 

Don?t wait! Do it now!  Help us make ham radio history in New York State.

Frank Fallon??.N2FF
ARRL Hudson Division Director

The following links contain helpful information related to A-1565, including a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), a sample letter that can be personalized and sent to your state representatives, the assembly and senate member directories and of course the text of A-1565.

	The Text of Assembly Bill 1565
	Frequently Asked Questions about A-1565
	Sample Letter for Personalization
	New York State Assembly Member Directory
	New York State Senate E-mail Address Directory
	Senate District Look-up (If you don't know who your State Senator is)