I 
113TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4969 
To direct the Federal Communications Commission to extend to private land 
use restrictions its rule relating to reasonable accommodation of amateur 
service communications. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 25, 2014 
Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois (for himself and Mr. COURTNEY) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To direct the Federal Communications Commission to extend 
to private land use restrictions its rule relating to reason-
able accommodation of amateur service communications. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Amateur Radio Parity 
Act of 2014’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
03:12 Jul 01, 2014
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4969.IH
H4969
tjames@gpo.gov on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(1) More than 700,000 radio amateurs in the 
United States are licensed by the Federal Commu-
nications Commission in the amateur radio service. 
(2) Amateur radio, at no cost to taxpayers, pro-
vides a fertile ground for technical self-training in 
modern telecommunications, electronics technology, 
and emergency communications techniques and pro-
tocols. 
(3) There is a strong Federal interest in the ef-
fective performance of amateur radio stations estab-
lished at the residences of licensees. Such stations 
have been shown to be frequently and increasingly 
precluded by unreasonable private land use restric-
tions, including restrictive covenants. 
(4) Federal Communications Commission regu-
lations have for 28 years prohibited the application 
to amateur radio stations of State and local regula-
tions that preclude or fail to reasonably accommo-
date amateur service communications, or that do not 
constitute the minimum practicable regulation to ac-
complish a legitimate State or local purpose. Com-
mission policy has been and is to permit erection of 
a station antenna structure at heights and dimen-
sions sufficient to accommodate amateur service 
communications. 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
03:12 Jul 01, 2014
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4969.IH
H4969
tjames@gpo.gov on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(5) The Federal Communications Commission 
has sought guidance and direction from Congress 
with respect to the application of the Commission’s 
limited preemption policy regarding amateur radio 
communications to private land use restrictions, in-
cluding restrictive covenants. 
SEC. 3. ACCOMMODATION OF AMATEUR SERVICE COMMU-
NICATIONS. 
Not later than 120 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Federal Communications Commis-
sion shall amend section 97.15(b) of title 47, Code of Fed-
eral Regulations, so that such section prohibits application 
to amateur service communications of any private land use 
restriction, including a restrictive covenant, that— 
(1) precludes such communications; 
(2) fails to reasonably accommodate such com-
munications; or 
(3) does not constitute the minimum practicable 
restriction on such communications to accomplish 
the legitimate purpose of the private entity seeking 
to enforce such restriction. 
Æ 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
03:12 Jul 01, 2014
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H4969.IH
H4969
tjames@gpo.gov on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with BILLS