Fwd: SB-480 This Time It's Real!!! (fwd)

[David V. Rogers]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sun, 15 Mar 1998 18:20:57 -0500
From: Dick Rucker <rrucker@macconnect.com>
To: Al Cammarata <w3awu@juno.com>,
    "Armand Caron, WA3TNQ" <alcaron@erols.com>,
    "Al Wheeler, WB4JJJ" <Wb4jjj@aol.com>,
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    "Bill Dill, N5OAJ" <piklepatch@aol.com>,
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    Bix W4BIX <70465.1045@compuserve.com>,
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    L W Buddy Smith <W4YE@aol.com>, "Denny Avers, W3DRY" <avers@ibm.net>,
    "Dave Rogers, K9RKH" <dvrogers@seas.gwu.edu>,
    Elmer Jones <k4eux@aol.com>,
    "Francis J Haynes, W4NUA" <fhaynes@juno.com>,
    "Frank Mackey, N4GUS" <mackeyf@erols.com>,
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    "Greg Haas, W5ZNT" <gregtybe@erols.com>,
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    George A Paull <gapaull@juno.com>,
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    Phil Schroeder <KF4AJZ@juno.com>, "Ray Johnson, K5RJ" <JRJNVV@aol.com>,
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    "Bill Getchell, sr. W1HRE" <PDZU98A@prodigy.com>
Subject: Fwd: SB-480 This Time It's Real!!!

Date: Sun, 15 Mar 1998
From: Frank Mackey

Please pass this to all amateur radio operators in Virginia.

/s/ Frank Mackey - K4EC
    Section Emergency Coordinator
    STATE RACES Officer


Bob KK4IY wrote:

Greetings All:

I just got off the phone with Senator Edwards who was outside of Senate
Chambers when he made the call.  It is almost 12:15 a.m. on Sunday morning
and the battle in the Houses is over.

    SB-480 has PASSED BOTH HOUSES OF THE LEGISLATURE!!!  Final Votes were:

      Senate 20 yea; 13 nay
      House 53 yea; 35 nay
      Conference Committee Recommendation Vote: 4 favor; 2 opposed

VML and VACO pushed harder than they have ever pushed.  The localities have
fought us tooth and nail these last three days with the battle going into
the late night each night since Thursday.  The vicious fight and fierce
negotiations have gone on day and night almost without end.  The opposition
would not yield to anything reasonable and we would not succumb to the most
unreasonable people I have ever encountered  In the end, WE WON!!!  We have
effectively DEFEATED the two most powerful lobbies in Virginia!!!

Senator Edwards has asked that we open the communications pipeline and
phone, fax, email, send letters to the Governor and ask that he sign the
bill without further amendment as approved by both Houses of the
legislature.

PLEASE get the messages flowing fast and furious.  Hold nothing back, but
keep it polite.  The essence of the bill is almost what was previously
approved.

All areas of the state have PRB-1 pre-emption language of "reasonable
accommodation".  Areas 120 persons per square mile and greater according to
the 1990 Census cannot regulate antenna structures to LESS THAN 75 feet.
Areas under 120 persons per square mile cannot regulate antenna structures
to LESS THAN 200 feet.  No area can regulate the number of support
structures.  "Reasonable and customary" engineering standards for antenna
erection must be followed in all locations.  That makes it a state mandate
and takes away the benefit of localities having final say on structure
erection.

I will have a final copy of the bill in totality tomorrow sometime, just as
soon as Senator Edwards staff gets into the office.  Please bear with me
until then.  Take it at this:  We have passed the strongest, most liberal
state law of any state in the United States with regard to amateur radio
antennas.  We have done it in the face of opposition by the strongest
lobbyists in the state and against odds that said what we have done was
impossible.

Thanks to everyone for the support and for your forgiveness from the
previous email of Wednesday that was, unfortunately, in error.  I assure
you, this one is accurate and the BILL HAS PASSED!!!

More will follow tomorrow after I've had a little sleep and time to
finalize a plan to bombard the Governor's office with support publicity to
assure his signature on the bill as passed by the Houses.

  Best Regards,
  Bob KK4IY

Richard A. "Dick" Rucker
City of Fairfax, VA