This bill amends the Communications Act of 1934 to significantly streamline the siting and approval processes for personal wireless service facilities, including small personal wireless service facilities. It aims to accelerate the deployment of wireless infrastructure across the nation by imposing new requirements on State and local governments. The legislation preserves local zoning authority over facility placement, construction, or modification, but introduces several key limitations. Local regulations must not discriminate among providers or effectively prohibit the provision of wireless services. While objective engineering standards, safety requirements, and reasonable aesthetic rules are permitted, they cannot prevent facility installation or modification. A central provision establishes strict timeframes for local governments to act on complete applications: 60 or 90 days for small facilities and 90 or 150 days for other facilities, depending on whether an existing structure is used. If a local government fails to grant or deny a complete request within the specified timeframe, the application is automatically deemed granted upon written notice from the applicant. Denials must be in writing, supported by substantial evidence, and publicly released. The bill also restricts local governments from regulating facilities based on radio frequency emissions if they comply with FCC standards, and outlines specific criteria for permissible fees, requiring them to be competitively and technology neutral, nondiscriminatory, publicly disclosed, and based on actual, direct, and objectively reasonable costs. The Act also provides for expedited judicial review and allows for administrative review by the Federal Communications Commission for actions inconsistent with its provisions.
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Science, Technology, Communications
WIRELESS Leadership Act
USA119th CongressHR-5147| House
| Updated: 9/4/2025
This bill amends the Communications Act of 1934 to significantly streamline the siting and approval processes for personal wireless service facilities, including small personal wireless service facilities. It aims to accelerate the deployment of wireless infrastructure across the nation by imposing new requirements on State and local governments. The legislation preserves local zoning authority over facility placement, construction, or modification, but introduces several key limitations. Local regulations must not discriminate among providers or effectively prohibit the provision of wireless services. While objective engineering standards, safety requirements, and reasonable aesthetic rules are permitted, they cannot prevent facility installation or modification. A central provision establishes strict timeframes for local governments to act on complete applications: 60 or 90 days for small facilities and 90 or 150 days for other facilities, depending on whether an existing structure is used. If a local government fails to grant or deny a complete request within the specified timeframe, the application is automatically deemed granted upon written notice from the applicant. Denials must be in writing, supported by substantial evidence, and publicly released. The bill also restricts local governments from regulating facilities based on radio frequency emissions if they comply with FCC standards, and outlines specific criteria for permissible fees, requiring them to be competitively and technology neutral, nondiscriminatory, publicly disclosed, and based on actual, direct, and objectively reasonable costs. The Act also provides for expedited judicial review and allows for administrative review by the Federal Communications Commission for actions inconsistent with its provisions.