On June 3, 2019,
Senator John Thune (R. S.D.) and Senator Brian Schatz (D. HI) introduced the STREAMLINE Small Cell Deployment Act, which would cut costs and streamline the approval periods for small cells—the physical building blocks of 5G. Senators Thune and Schatz previously introduced this bill in the 115th Congress.
The official summary of the bill reads:
"Streamlining The Rapid Evolution And Modernization of Leading-edge Infrastructure Necessary to Enhance Small Cell Deployment Act or the STREAMLINE Small Cell Deployment Act
"This bill amends the Communications Act of 1934 to require that the regulation of the placement, construction, or modification of small personal wireless service facilities by any state or local government: (1) not unreasonably discriminate among providers of the same service using comparable equipment; and (2) only permit a state or local government to approve or deny a permit or other permission to deploy such a facility.
"A state or local government may charge a fee to consider an application for such placement, construction, or modification, or to use a right-of-way or a facility in a right-of-way owned or managed by the state or local government if the fee is: (1) competitively neutral, technology neutral, and nondiscriminatory; (2) publicly disclosed; and (3) based on actual and direct costs.
"The Government Accountability Office shall study and report on deployment of broadband infrastructure on tribal land or near trust land."