STREAMLINE Small Cell Deployment Act

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 establishes standards for reviewing broadband infrastructure siting applications, taking into account inherent challenges to smaller municipalities.

Specifically, the bill requires that regulation of the placement, construction, or modification of small personal wireless service facilities by any state or local government not be unreasonably discriminatory among providers of the same service using comparable equipment. Accordingly, a state or local government must base its permitting decision on publicly-available criteria that are reasonable, objective, and non-discriminatory.

Additionally, the bill requires action be taken on applications within a specific time frame based on the type of request, provides time frame flexibility for small municipalities, and allows the Federal Communications Commission to grant a waiver of such time frames. A state or local government may also charge a fee to consider an application 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.