Dear SWD Members: You are receiving this Southwestern Division email bulletin below since you are signed up on the ARRL Members Only Web site as willing to receive division notices. Currently, it is planned to only send out email bulletins when there is a particularly important local need/issue. Also, we would like to remind you that the 2000 ARRL Southwestern Division Convention is coming up soon. It will be held at the Ramada Inn Valley Ho, Scottsdale, AZ, October 6-8. For details see www.w7asc.org/swdc2000. Some of the speakers include President Jim Haynie (W5JBP), Executive VP Dave Sumner (K1ZZ), HQ Lab Supervisor Ed Hare (W1RFI) and FCC "Enforcer" Riley Hollingsworth (K4ZDH). Hope to see you there, too! Tnx for your support...73/Fried, WA6WZO(@__@)SW Director wa6wzo@arrl.org ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ARRL SOUTHWESTERN DIVISION ALERT SB-1714: Passes Legislature Tuesday, August 22 Letters to Governor Davis Urgently Needed SB-1714 finally worked its way through the California Legislature on Monday, August 22. On that date the Senate agreed to the several amendments made after initially approving it almost three months ago. The Senate vote followed the Assembly's acceptance of SB- 1714 on Friday, August 18. At the end of August, the bill was given to Governor Gray Davis. He has until the end of September to act on the bill. Governor Gray Davis, as we all know, pays close attention to the cost of legislation, and rightly so. The Senate Appropriations Committee estimated that the study called for by SB-1714 will cost the taxpayers some $70,000 to $100,000, and the Assembly analyst accepted that figure. Although that cost is small in the context of the overall state budget, it's large enough to attract notice. We should therefore try very hard to convince the Governor that it is in the best interest of the citizens of California for him to sign SB-1714. We need letters! Please, if you agree with SB-1714, sit down, right now, and write a letter to Governor Davis. A sample letter to him is given below. You may write to him in three different ways: - Email to graydavis@governor.ca.gov - FAX to 916-445-4633 - Mail to Governor Gray Davis, State Capitol Building, Sacramento, CA 95814. More details can be found via the SW Division Web site: www.qsl.net/arrlsw. The full text of SB-1714 is also appended at the bottom. PLEASE write now! Sample letter: ***** Dear Governor Davis: I am writing to you to urge your support of SB-1714, a bill designed to provide some relief to amateur radio operators who require antenna structures to pursue their interest in communications. The proliferation of cellular telephones has caused concern in many communities about the appearance of commercial antenna structures. In attempting to deal with this, municipal governments have tended to lump together all antennas, ignoring the roles the Amateur Radio service has traditionally played in providing public service and backup emergency communications in support of the Governor's Office of Emergency Services and of municipal emergency service organizations. I believe that this legislation addresses both the concerns of municipalities in maintaining for everyone a reasonable quality of life and the Amateur Radio service in maintaining its ability to communicate and to play the roles it always has. The provision of the legislation for study and report by the Governor's Office of Policy and Research should ensure that every interest will be considered and that an ultimate result in the best interests of all Californians will be achieved. The funds required for the study, considering the enormous value that the State and municipalities have received from being able to call on Amateur licensees to provide equipment and volunteer hours in emergencies, is money well spent to preserve a valuable asset. Please sign SB-1714 into law. Sincerely, <your signature> <Your name and address> ________________________________________ Text of SB-1714 as Amended: THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 65850.3 is added to the Government Code, to read: 65850.3. Any ordinance adopted by the legislative body of a city or county that regulates amateur radio station antenna structures shall not preclude amateur radio service communications. Any ordinance that regulates amateur radio station antenna structures shall reasonably accommodate amateur radio service communications and shall constitute the minimum practicable regulation to accomplish the legitimate purpose of the city or county. SEC. 2. On or before July 1, 2001, the Director of the Office of Planning and Research shall do all of the following: (a) Prepare and publish a technical assistance bulletin suitable for use by local officials and planners in the preparation and adoption of local ordinances that regulate the placement, screening, and height of amateur radio service antennas. In preparing this bulletin, the director shall consult with individuals and groups with experience in amateur radio service communications and land use regulation, including, but not limited to, the American Radio Relay League, the American Planning Association, the League of California Cities, the California State Association of Counties, and the Federal Communications Commission. (b) Prepare and publish a model ordinance suitable for adoption by the legislative bodies of cities and counties for the regulation of the placement, screening, and height of amateur radio service antennas. In preparing this model ordinance, the director shall consult with individuals and groups with experience in amateur radio service communications and land use regulation, including, but not limited to, those groups listed in subdivision (a). c) Report to the Legislature and the Governor regarding any recommendations for changes to the state statutes regarding state or local regulation of amateur radio service antennas. _____________________________________________________________________ Amateur Radio: If you're not having fun, you are not doing it right! http://www.qsl.net/arrlsb ARRL, Santa Barbara Section To subscribe: mailto:arrlsb-subscribe@egroups.com Internet Manager: AD6AD@arrl.net