Hello to all..
Please see info on the Cell Phone Legislation Bill as provided by State Government Liasion (SGL) Shawn O’Donnell-K3HI. The bill which currently includes the exemption ammendments for Amateur Radio and other Two-way radio communications is in the ‘house-senate’ conference committee and Shawn describes what we can do next to make sure our ammendments remain in the bill once it comes out of conference committee and potentially goes to a full vote, DE Rob-KD1CY.
Everyone–
The representatives from the House on the conference committee, as confirmed in the House Journal for Monday, are
Joseph Wagner of Chicopee
Michael Costello of Newburyport
Donald Humason of Westfield
The Senate representatives, if Senator’s aide has it right, are
Steven Baddour of Methuen
Stephen Brewer of Barre
Robert Hedlund of Weymouth
Wagner and Baddour are the co-chairs of the Joint Committee on Transportation. Hedlund was co-sponsor of one of the amendments that granted amateur radio an exemption in the Senate version of the bill. So we have a friend on the committee.
As for your right to petition the government…
I don’t get the sense that direct communications with these conference committee members, even from their constituents, will have much effect. These guys get their marching orders from the House/Senate leadership. It would perhaps be more effective for us to contact our own representative and senator, and ask them to urge their chamber to support the two amendments in S2290 that recognize the important contributions of amateur radio. If the leadership hears from enough representatives & senators, we’ll be in good shape.
–Shawn