Subj : ARRL Volunteers Obtain Ham Exemption to Pennsylvania Handsfree Law
To : QST
From : ARRL de WD1CKS
Date : Thu May 09 2024 09:38 pm
05/09/2024
Member-volunteers of ARRL� The National Association for Amateur Radio[1]��in
Pennsylvania have successfully protected the legal right to use amateur radio
while operating mobile within the state. A handsfree distracted driving bill
had worked its way through the legislature over the past several years, and
ARRL Atlantic Division Director Bob Famiglio, K3RF, successfully advocated for
an exemption for licensed radio amateurs. "The bill survived until just before
the latest vote, which stripped out our exemption but left in exemptions for
commercial drivers, including truck drivers, bus drivers, and public
transportation [drivers]," he wrote in a message to ARRL members in
Pennsylvania.
In April, the exemption was stripped from the bill, sending Pennsylvania hams
into a state of worry. ARRL members in the state rallied, contacting their
state legislators to explain the benefit that licensed operators provide to the
state. The bill also was going to remove the ability for first responders, such
as volunteer firefighters, to use radios in their personally owned vehicles.
"Hundreds of emails then went out to legislators and such and back to me. We
also helped our volunteer emergency responders who were in the same boat as us
with radio use from their personal cars. Many members are also emergency
responders as well, and they picked up on this too," said Famiglio.
This week, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives voted in favor of
accepting the bill with the exemption. The senate passed it last summer. The
bill is now on its way to Governor Josh Shapiro's desk, where he is expected to
sign it. Mobile use of amateur radio will continue in Pennsylvania, thanks to
ARRL advocacy and government relations carried out by member-volunteers.�
[1]
https://www.arrl.org
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