GOOD NEWS !
From ARRL News Letter:
Yesterday Section Government Liaison Lee Chambers, KI7SS, and I appeared
before the House Transportation Committee in Olympia. This was a great
experience for me. The committee heard comments on two distracted
driving bills. HB 1371 and 1631. HB 1631 had no impact on the Amateur
Radio Service.
In the hallway before the hearing Shelly Baldwin from the Washington
Traffic Safety Commission contacted me to say that Senator Ann Rivers
had contacted her about correcting SB 5289 to provide an exception to
the Amateur Radio Service.
After I gave my testimony the committee, the chair, Representative Judy
Clibborn told me that Representative Jessyn Farrell was acting to see
that amateur radio was excluded from enforcement action in the bill.
After the hearing, Representative Farrell made it a point to come out
to the hallway to let us know that she appreciated the feedback from
the hams and that she is working on an exemption in the bill for them.
If Senator Rivers or Representative Farrell is from your legislative
district, please take a few minutes to thank them for helping the
amateur radio operators in the state to retain their exemption from the
distracted driving law. Their gracious cooperation and assistance will
allow us to continue our support of charitable and non-governmental
organizations as well as government agencies.
I would like to offer caution as it relates to the distracted driving
bill and eventually law. This exemption means that an officer cannot
cite the ham for just having a microphone or handheld radio in their
hand. If the ham is driving erratically, like lane travel, or following
too closely while using their radios they will be subjected to the law
just like the cell phone user.
I am very pleased with the reception amateur radio received in the
senate and the house. I believe members of the Amateur Radio Service
are well respected by our lawmakers for our contributions to the people
of the State of Washington. Thank you to each of you for your deportment
that reflects so highly on our hobby.
Hearty thanks goes to each ham who took their time to communicate with
members of the Washington State legislature. You made a big difference
in the success of getting us the exemption we need to be good citizens
with our FCC licenses.
To those hams who went above and beyond in helping me to reach out to
all amateurs, regardless of whether they are ARRL members or not, thank
you!
If you know hams who are not members of the ARRL please invite them to
join. By being a member we can easily reach out to them with important
issues like the distracted driving bill.
Way to go hams in the Western Washington Section! I value each of you
and the contributions you make to our hobby.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
ARRL Western Washington Section
Section Manager: Monte L Simpson, AF7PQ
af7pq@arrl.org--------------------------------------------------------------------