BPL Update for Arkansas (April 19, 2007)

HB 1589 BPL Enabling Act- After a hard and protracted Senate committee fight the BPL bill - HB 1589- passed the Arkansas House and the Senate. We were unable to stop this legislation in the House since it was moved up on the agenda before the Arkansas.gov website was updated. ARRL Arkansas SGL Stewart, KD5LBE met with the Senate Committee numerous times, and we were able to slow the bill down after the rushed passage in the House. Unfortunately the BPL and Power lobby was able to outlast us and by some parliamentary maneuvering in the committee, pass the bill through the Senate.
The bill has passed conference and is now an Act on its way to Gov. Beebe.

We may have lost this battle; however we did make our case known to the Senators and we will revisit RF interference issue with Energy and the Legislature in the near future. We were successful getting the Hands Free Cell Phones in Autos bills (SB6, and SB7). The Senate had NO intention of those laws infringing on mobile amateur operations. TNX to KD5LBE for many hours at the capitol!
 

BPL Update for Arkansas (March 07, 2007)

The message below is from David A. Norris K5UZ - ARRL Arkansas Section - Section Manager; received Wednesday 03/07/2007 8:00 Hours Central

I bear ill tidings,

We have been hoodwinked by the AR Legislature in regards to HB 1589, the current BPL enabling bill now in the Arkansas State Senate. This bill has passed the House and is in the Senate Committee on Transportation, Technology and Legislative Affairs and going to be fast tracked through the Senate. NOW is the time to call your Senator and Representative and voice your extreme DISPLEASURE with the lack of protection from RF interference for amateur radio operators' frequencies. Today is the time to call and EVERYONE MUST DO this for us to make our point.

SGL Stewart KD5LBE, Brooks, N5QI and I are doing what we can, but the Senators and Representatives NEED to hear from their constituents on this. Please do not threaten, rant or rave at them, but rather be polite and use the information on BPL available at the arrl.org website as to the misconceptions with respect to BPL, especially as a panacea to bring affordable broadband to the "rural masses". Make your calls and messages thoughtful, but get your point across. WE are not happy with this and we VOTE!

73 ES GL!!
David K5UZ

More Information:

ARRL BPL Information

BPL - An Radio Amateur's Prespective - YouTube Video by VK7TW

BPL and HF - YouTube Video by NC BPL Action Team

Arkansas State House of Representatives Information

Arkansas State Senate Information