RCRC-opposed Senate Bill 649, authored by Senator Ben Hueso (D-San Diego), is scheduled to be heard in the Assembly Communications and Conveyance Committee on Wednesday, July 12, 2017 at 1:30pm. Last week, SB 649 passed out of the Assembly Local Government Committee on a 6-2 vote with Assembly Member Sebastian Ridley-Thomas (D-Los Angeles) and Assembly Member Anna Caballero (D-Salinas) voting “No,” and Richard Bloom (D-Santa Monica) abstaining from the vote.
SB 649 would eliminate local consideration of the aesthetic and environmental impacts of “small cell” structures and force counties to lease space to wireless companies at a rate set by the Legislature. Amendments taken in the Assembly Local Government Committee fail to make any meaningful changes to the bill, and RCRC and its local government partners remain strongly opposed to the legislation.
RCRC continues to urge Member Counties to join in opposition of this legislation. At this time, thirteen RCRC Member Counties have submitted letters of opposition, which can be accessed here. The text of the bill can be accessed here.