The California Assembly passed a bill that directs the state to create a framework with federal, state and local officials to deploy advanced wireless infrastructure; it streamlines how small cell infrastructure is deployed and grants providers access to locally owned vertical infrastructure, such as light poles, streetlights and traffic lights, located within the public rights-of-way “under reasonable terms and conditions,” according to the text.

Senate Bill 649, sponsored by Democratic Sen. Ben Hueso, allows cities or counties to charge three types of fees: an annual charge for each small cell attached to city or county vertical infrastructure, an annual attachment rate, and a one-time reimbursement fee. The measure also makes small cell installations “subject to feasible design and co-location standards, including reasonable and objective specifications regarding the appearance and location of the small cell installation.” Wireless carriers would need to submit a report to the legislature specifying how many small cells they installed by zip code before July 1, 2019, and again before December 31, 2020.

The Wireless Infrastructure Association applauded the bill’s passage and urged Governor Jerry Brown to sign the measure. WIA President/CEO Jonathan Adelstein said: “Creating a fair business environment — with common definitions and a facilitated process to utilize existing structures — is crucial to delivering access to mobile broadband to every resident. Streamlined permitting processes and greater access to public rights-of-way will spur the widespread deployment of the wireless infrastructure needed to improve network capacity in the near term while setting the stage for the 5G networks of tomorrow.”