Mississippi Becomes 22nd State to Adopt PRB-1 Statute

NEWINGTON, CT, Mar 14, 2006--After several earlier tries, Mississippi this week became the 22nd state to enact a revision of the its statutes to incorporate the language of the limited federal preemption known as PRB-1. Mississippi Gov Haley Barbour signed the bill March 13, reports ARRL Mississippi Section Manager Malcolm Keown, W5XX. Echoing the language of PRB-1, the measure calls on localities establishing ordinances regulating antenna placement, screening or height to "reasonably accommodate" Amateur Radio communication. The Mississippi law also takes note of Amateur Radio's communication support in emergencies and disasters.

"This legislation supports the Amateur Radio Service in preparing for and providing emergency communications for the State of Mississippi and local emergency management agencies," the statute reads. The new PRB-1 provision became law when Barbour signed it.

The new law provides:

Local land use regulation ordinances involving the placement, screening, or height of amateur radio antenna structures must reasonably accommodate amateur communications and must constitute the minimum practicable regulation to accomplish local authorities' legitimate purposes of addressing health, safety, welfare and aesthetic considerations. Judgments as to the types of reasonable accommodation to be made and the minimum practicable regulation necessary to address these purposes will be determined by local governing authorities within the parameters of the law.

"We now have a Mississippi PRB-1 Law on the books!" Keown exulted in a message to Mississippi League members. Keown this week called on his section's members to contact all those involved and thank them for contributing to the success of the PRB-1 legislation. Similar bills were introduced this session in the House and Senate, but the House version, HB 736, was the successful measure. The Senate version of the PRB-1 legislation, SB 2709, passed the full Senate but died in committee in the House.

Keown says efforts have been under way since 2001 to get such legislation through the Mississippi Legislature. In past years, PRB-1 bills have made it through one legislative chamber only to die in committee in the other.

According to Keown, a ceremonial signing of the PRB-1 legislation will be scheduled after the legislative session ends.

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