Take Action on Tons of California Telecom Telecom 5G Streamline Bills

The California State Legislature has introduced several bills which help to strip away local control over the deployment of wireless telecommunications facilities, including 5G antennas, in public rights-of-way. Over half the states in the US have passed these industry friendly 5G streamlining bills. They are Bills from ALEC – the American Legislative Exchange Council.

The new CA bills are very similar to a bill that was ultimately vetoed by the CA Governor in 2017 – SB 649. EHT compiled extensive resources from that 2017 fight that can be used to stop AB537 & SB556. At that time, numerous doctors, scientists, and California Cities opposed SB 649. Over 300 cities opposed SB.649 and the Governor ultimately vetoed the bill stating: “I believe that the interest which localities have in managing rights of way requires a more balanced solution than the one achieved in this bill.” See a list of letters, videos and news stories on this page documenting the strong opposition to SB 649.

Now California is facing several Bills- each one chipping away at a localities right to make decisions about cell antennas in their community. In 2021, it is not just one bill, but several bills!

Take Action Now

Please contact your state assembly members and senators. http://www.legislature.ca.gov/your_legislator.html

AB 537 closes the gap in the legislation passed in 2015 (AB 57), which did not include co-locations of additional antenna in the “deemed approval process” –whereby the telecoms got their permits automatically approved if the city did not respond within a short shotclock period. That legislation exempted co-locations from deemed approval so this bill will include them, making it much easier for telecoms to keep adding on antennas without oversight from the local government.

AB 955 has the goal of speeding thru approval without the usual oversight and removes CEQA (ie environmental impact) reviews from the hands of local governments, and negatively impacts protection for Native American burial grounds.

Call into the 1:30 PM Hearing

The Assembly Communications and Conveyance Committee will hear AB 537, and other broadband related bills on April 28. The entire agenda is broadband and small cell bills. This is a very important hearing to comment in opposition to 537.

Apr 28 at 1:30 p.m. Call in to the hearing at 1:30 (877) 692-8957 (PIN: 2426237)

Details are here: https://acom.assembly.ca.gov/hearings

Resources

Legal Letters by the Law Office of Harry Lehmann Regarding the California Bills

Download Flyers

Assembly Communications and Conveyance Committee

https://seuc.senate.ca.gov/committeehome

May 3, 2021: SB 556 will be heard in the Senate Appropriations Committee on May 3.

The format for sending emails to senators is Senator.Hueso@senate.ca.gov. Be sure to spell out the word senate, since some people mistakenly were sending emails to senators using the abbreviated “sen” which does not go through. It is also good to send a copy to the senator for your own district.

“This is a dangerous time and whatever you can do to help will be greatly appreciated by Californians and others across the country. I believe the division of these bills into parcels is a test to see if telecom can get away with a very clever ruse. We can’t let this happen. Please let your city/county leaders know about these bills. Very few people I know are even aware of the legislation that has been introduced. Yet right now the committee members are treating these bills like they have the future of baseball, mother’s milk and apple pie all rolled into one heroic effort.”

Talking Points: Fire risks associated with the massive influx of cell towers, loss of local control, and the simple fact 5G is not for voice at this point, does not facilitate Internet connections & does not bridge the digital divide and thus is false advertising amidst the pandemic/lockdown are all critical talking points.

Also, for reference, please see the following consultant analysis of various Bills.

AB 537 Analysis

SB 378 Analysis

AB 34 “municipal broad band for all” consultant analysis on is also instructive because it talks about LOCAL GOVERNMENT and mentions a 2020 CA Gov broadband council action plan. (wired is not specifically mentioned in the bill or the report)

SB 556 and SB 378 with are both up in committee and both completely ignore the recommendations in this report produced by California. Both eliminate local control.

WHAT CA SB-556 WOULD DO:

“SB 556 “Street Light Poles, Traffic Signal Poles, Utility Poles, and Support Structures: Attachments” is an attempt by the telecommunications industry to undermine local authority while making no meaningful progress towards closing the digital divide in California’s unserved and underserved communities.” Opposition by League of California Cities: Link

Testimony Against SB.649 — June 28, 2017 (12 minutes)

June 28, 2017: Ann Lee, MD and her son, 10-year old Justin Stephen → https://youtu.be/OgNLR9fQOX4
June 28, 2017: Nina Beety, WARN: Wireless Radiation Alert Network → https://youtu.be/j3MHSNhxba4
June 28, 2017: Shary Nunan, PhD Electromagnetic Sensitive Californian → https://youtu.be/j3MHSNhxba4?t=2m49s
June 28, 2017: Josh Hart, Stop Smartmeters → https://youtu.be/kjInl7SgVZY
June 28, 2017: Paul McGavin, Founder, S4WT: Scientists for Wired Tech → https://youtu.be/hyfRE_zGF9I?t=3
June 28, 2017: Sam Licardo, Mayor of San Jose → https://youtu.be/krFDQNH_2kQ

This is a MUST WATCH video on California’s streamlining bill from 2017 highlighting the firefighters fight to keep cell towers off their stations due to the injuries firefighters sustained from the radiation.