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Ass'y Local Gov't Committee votes 7-0 to advance SB 556 to Communications and Conveyance Committee; Bill Would Make It Harder To Stop 5G Cell Phone Transmitting Antennas In City Rights of Way

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(June 10, 2021, 10:05 a.m.) -- The Assembly Local Government Committee (Dem majority, no LB reps) voted 7-0 on June 9 to advance SB 556 -- which would make it harder to prevent telecom firms from putting 5G cell phone transmitting antennas in city rights of way -- to the Assembly Communications and Conveyance Committee (Dem majority, no LB reps.)

The City of LB opposed the bill in April. In May, the state Senate approved SB 556 with the "yes" votes of LB state Senators Lena Gonzalez (D, LB-SE LA County) and Tom Umberg (D, SE LB-west OC.)

The issue of high frequency cell phone transmitting antennas gained recent media attention (KFI/640 radio, KTLA/5, LBREPORT.com and the Beachcomber) when a Lakewood Village homeowner was stymied by federal legal preemption and city appeal limits in preventing placement of a high frequency 4G or 5G cell phone transmitting antenna within feet of her Clark Ave. home. Publio records indicate nearly a dozen other LB homeowners in various neighborhoods across the city have tried and failed to stop the proliferation of the antennas under current law.

SB 556 is sought by Crown Castle, a firm that installs cell phone antennas and, with LB City Council approval, has a contract to do in the City of Long Beach. It has since hired 9th district Councilman/Vice Mayor Rex Richardson to serve as its Government Affairs Manager regionally.