Help Defeat Ill-Conceived FLA Radio Law
 

AM wrote:

Florida passed a law making it a third degree felony to transmit any
signal without a license. The American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the
national organization representing amateur radio operators saw this law
as too broad and vague and a threat to ham radio operators, since a
portion of the law also makes it a third degree felony to cause
interference to any broadcast station, even from a licensed ham
transmitter.
So the ARRL filed a Request for Declaratory Ruling asking that the FCC
void the Florida law. The FCC is studying the matter and may void the
Florida law. When is anybody's guess. You can call the FCC Wireless
Telecommunications Bureau (WTB), who is handling this matter, and voice
your support of the ARRL petition to void the Florida interference law
by calling
202-418-0638. Please pass this on to other parties who wish to register
their support of the ARRL petition to void the ill-conceived Florida
interference law. Basically, states cannot legislate in the area of
radio interference, since this is solely reserved to the FCC.

You can read the ARRL Request for Declaratory Ruling here...
http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2005/03/01/4/?nc=1


This looks to be as enforceable as the "Low Voltage Electrician's
License" BS they pulled a few years ago. The way it was worded, it was
illegal to do anything involving wire or electronic components without a
license they wouldn't issue without a long involved test on workman's
comp law. You couldn't install phone jacks, CATV or SAT TV, computer
networking or manufacture electronic equipment. It was intended to
"Protect" the state's biggest electrical contractors who had decided
that were going to take over all burglar and fire alarm work. They were
"grand fathered" even if they had never done the work, but everyone else
had to stop all work and wait for the testing to begin, a full year
later. there were no study guides and if you failed the test you had to
wait six months to take it again. I have never heard of anyone being
charged under this sham of a law, and it was passed over ten years ago.
--
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Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida