What's happening
This bill requires telecom companies to notify nearby residents and municipalities before installing wireless facilities and encourages co-location on existing infrastructure.
Why it matters
Gives residents and property owners a greater voice. By requiring written notice to everyone within 2,500 feet of a planned wireless facility, people living or owning property nearby have more opportunity to comment, organize, or raise concerns before installation happens.
Empowers local governments in infrastructure decisions. Municipalities must be notified and can suggest existing infrastructure for co-location, increasing local input and potentially reducing unnecessary new construction in their communities.
Promotes more efficient use of existing structures. By encouraging and, where feasible, requiring the use of existing infrastructure for new wireless facilities, the bill aims to limit the proliferation of new towers and equipment, which could help preserve aesthetics and minimize environmental impacts.
Sets standards for industry transparency and cooperation. The mandate for a statewide guide of best practices signals a move toward clearer, more consistent processes for how telecom companies engage with communities—potentially reducing conflicts and confusion statewide.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Notify Neighbors of Cell Towers
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to corporations, authorities and commissions
- Referred to corporations, authorities and commissions
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Notify Neighbors of Cell Towers
In Senate Committee · Energy And Telecommunications · Sponsor Neil D. Breslin
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
S. 3046 A. 4066
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
SENATE - ASSEMBLY
February 1, 2019
IN SENATE -- Introduced by Sen. BRESLIN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Energy and Telecommunications
IN ASSEMBLY -- Introduced by M. of A. FAHY -- read once and referred to the Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions
AN ACT to amend the public service law, in relation to notice requirements and municipal cooperation in wireless facility siting
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The public service law is amended by adding a new section 119-d to read as follows:
§ 119-d. Wireless siting notice; municipal cooperation. 1. For purposes of this section "wireless facility" means any facility used in connection with the provision of commercial mobile services, as that term is defined in section 332(d) of title 47, United States Code; wireless facility shall include, but is not limited to, antennas, small cell infrastructure, ancillary equipment and telecommunications towers.
2. Prior to any telecommunication company or cellular communication company installing a wireless facility in the state, such company shall, not less than sixty days before the planned installation of such wireless facility:
a. provide written notice to all owners and residents of property located within two thousand five hundred feet of such proposed wireless facility;
b. provide written notice to the municipalities in which such proposed wireless facility is located;
c. solicit suggestions from municipalities in which such proposed wireless facility is located for existing infrastructure which is technically and commercially feasible for co-location with such proposed wireless facility; and
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07086-02-9
S. 3046 2 A. 4066
d. use suggested existing infrastructure which is technically and commercially feasible for co-location with such proposed wireless facility.
3. No later than December thirty-first, two thousand nineteen, the commission shall develop a guide for any telecommunication company or cellular communication company installing wireless facilities in the state. Such guide shall include best practices for coordination with local municipal governments, property owners, and residents for the siting and potential co-location of wireless facilities.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.