RAYBAUM'S

There continues to be confusion in the Amateur Radio community on how we reached this point with proposed application fees in the Amateur Radio Service.  Some have said that an "exemption for Amateur Radio was removed with RAY BAUM'S". That both is correct and incorrect.  You need to understand the 1986 law and the progress from then to the enactment of RAY BAUM'S. 

Here is some clarification on the way it used to be.  Prior to RAY BAUMS, Public Law 99-272, which was enacted in 1986 stated in Section 158 of the Communications Act, that the Commission shall charge application fees.  Those fees were listed as a fixed table. Amateur Radio was not included as a price point.