We dodged a bullet - truly. We worked on this and had ZOOM meetings with the bill's sponsor 3 years ago or so. I drafted an exemption - simple enough and it was approved. Unknown to me until April 2024, a week or so before the bill came back from the dead for a vote, a League member who came across the schedule for vote called me. Panic! The exemption was deleted by a rep who thought it should not be included. (Hams should just hang-up and drive). Days of work later and lots of letters and phone calls from me as director and from members in PA to legislators, we got traction. I thought we were too late to the game, but we pulled victory out from the jaws of defeat. I compliment some legislative staff who called me back and asked for documents, arguments and talking points which my office provided. Attached is the language I requested be changed. I also attach the Division reflector message which tells the story and gave rise to our efforts. Paragraph (4) of the bill was my original language from years ago which they struck, then just replaced. We also helped our volunteer emergency responders who got word from my division message in April that the rule also prevents HT or microphone use for them as well. The language fix was to delete the strikethrough language of (6), being "operating an emergency vehicle and" , which means they need not be on an emergency vehicle to be exempt. They use their personal cars to respond and need their radios to coordinate. Some legislators did not fully realize our volunteers in PA fire service are the professionally trained primary responders for a jurisdiction, not some back-up for career firefighters. ARRL made some friends over this help. Moral of this story: We MUST monitor this stuff as we did before Dan Henderson retired, with a legal research service reporting relevant bill introductions. Dan used to call me with threats. We do NOT have that now. The Legal Defense Committee will look this over and see if we need to recommend such actions and how. Cost? For 50 states it may run some $5000 per year. That is not pocket change. Someone at HQ then needs to review the summaries and inform the director and section managers as to a gathering threat for antenna legislation or other matters such as this. Bob Famiglio, K3RF ARRL Atlantic Division Director 610-359-7300 www.QRZ.com/db/K3RF From: arrl-odv <arrl-odv-bounces@reflector.arrl.org> On Behalf Of James F. Boehner, MD via arrl-odv Sent: Thursday, May 9, 2024 8:07 PM To: arrl-odv@reflector.arrl.org Subject: [arrl-odv:35799] Re: Pennsylvania Handsfree Law Interested in seeing the text- Congratulations to Bob and all others. '73 de Jim N2ZZ Director - Roanoke Division Representing ARRL members in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia ARRL - the national association for Amateur Radio Facebook Page: ARRL Roanoke Division Website: www.arrl-roanoke.org<http://www.arrl-roanoke.org/> [Text, logo Description automatically generated] From: arrl-odv <arrl-odv-bounces@reflector.arrl.org<mailto:arrl-odv-bounces@reflector.arrl.org>> On Behalf Of Luetzelschwab, Carl, K9LA (Dir, CD) Sent: Thursday, May 9, 2024 7:21 PM To: arrl-odv@reflector.arrl.org<mailto:arrl-odv@reflector.arrl.org> Subject: [arrl-odv:35798] Pennsylvania Handsfree Law
This week, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives voted in favor of accepting the bill with the exemption.
Great job, Bob, and all others involved. Carl K9LA
