Florida House of Representatives

House Commerce Committee

400 South Monroe Street

Tallahassee, Florida 32399

Dear Representative,

On behalf of the 211,425 members and supporters of the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste in the state of Florida, I urge you to support HB 687, which would create uniform procedures for the manner in which wireless communications are approved and installed in public rights-of-way.

As the demand for data continues to skyrocket in Florida, consumers need a more integrated wireless environment to access the Internet of Things.  To support this rapid growth and the connected devices of the future, uniformity in siting and fee structures across the state is imperative.

HB 687 would establish procedures for how wireless communications are approved by localities and installed in public rights-of-way, while protecting the property rights of Floridians; prohibit the Department of Transportation and local governmental entities from regulating collocation of small wireless facilities in public rights-of-way; institute requirements for the location of small wireless facilities; and prohibit the adoption and enforcement of certain regulations and imposition of certain taxes, fees, and charges.

By streamlining the approval process, Florida will be able to meet the demand for increased data speeds in a more efficient and effective manner than under the current approval and fee structures.  Therefore, I urge you to support HB 687.

Sincerely,

Tom Schatz

President, CCAGW