Concerned Bikers Association/ABATE of NC, Inc.

Freedom is NOT a spectator sport!

[ Home ] [ Up ]

LOBBY DAY 2010

On Wednesday 19 May 2010 approximately 50 members of the CBA/ABATE met at the Raleigh Downtown Sheraton Hotel to prepare for their annual lobby day activities.  Members received a briefing on the legislative issues for this year and were provided materials for their visits with elected officials.  Immediately following the briefing these freedom fighters walked to the offices of their elected officials and discussed these important issues with them. 

Since this is a short session, the focus of the legislature is on the annual budget.  Once legislators negotiate the budget between chambers, they will be able to go home and begin their campaigns for re-election.  There are several bills left over from the long session, however none of them are controversial.  This means that it will be a slow session for bills having any effect on motorcyclists.

A budget issue that does affect bikers is the funding for High School Drivers Education classes.  There has been some discussion regarding which agency will fund these classes for the 2010 budget period.  These classes have traditionally been funded by the Department of Transportation (DOT).  The DOT has recommended that the Department of Education (DOE) become responsible for the funding for 2010.  The Department of Education has stated they would like the DOT to continue funding the program.  CBA's concern is not who will fund it, but only that the funding remain in place for this important program.  These Citizen Lobbyists made sure to deliver that important message to our elected officials.

Other issues that are important to bikers this year are making sure that no "unfriendly" legislation be introduced and passed without our having some say as to their disposition.  Freedom Fighters made sure to include some discussion about issues that we do not want to see made into laws.  Discussions also centered around the need for sponsors and co-sponsors for the important legislation we would like to see introduced in 2011 (i.e., helmet repeal, equal access for bikers).

After visiting with their elected officials the freedom fighters returned to the meeting room and briefed the legislative director on their successes and responses from legislators.  Overall, our elected officials agree that maintaining funding for High School Drivers Education is an important issue and we received many assurances that this important program will remain in the budget.  We received several offers to sponsor legislation in 2011.  The names of elected officials who support our agenda were provided to our Registered Lobbyist for future follow-up discussions.

It was an exciting and successful day for bikers in Raleigh.  Many thanks go out to Cindy "FRE" Hodges, Mike Hodges, Paul Wilms and all those who attended and helped to make this a successful day.  Thanks goes out to Buncombe County Chapter for providing funding for this activity.

Doc Ski

CBA/ABATE of NC Legislative Committee Meeting Minutes
Saturday, January 16,  2010

Apologies to all from the recording secretary, the start and end time of the meeting was not noted.

• Admin:

• a.       Pledge of Allegiance – led by Jamer
• b.     Moment of Silence for those we have lost and those serving to protect our freedoms.
• c.     Secretary's Report – minutes from previous meeting read, MOTION and SECOND to ACCEPT AS WRITTEN – PASSED. 

• Current Issue Updates:
• a.      ROW (Deb Knox) – Deb was unable to attend today.  Doc Ski reported that    Representative Rick Killian has indicated to his constituent members of the Charlotte     chapter that he is interested in sponsoring a ROW bill to correct what we find lacking in the current law. Charli Chandler suggests using the NHTSA injury numbers as    justification for raising the fine for hitting a motorcyclist. 
• ACTION ITEM:  Gather bill language from the AMA, Arkansas, and research other state ROW legislation to aid in creating optimal bill language to suit the desires and needs of the motorcyclists of North Carolina. 
•  
• b.     Equal Access:  Doc Ski reports the Confederation of Clubs (COC)  is interested in        pursuing a bill that would prohibit limiting access to public businesses based on attire or    mode of transportation.  He also reported that the COC is considering instituting the           Defender's Program here in North Carolina. 
•  
• c.   Noise Abatement:  Jim Tuthill could not be here.  Larry Blankenship suggests we use the            bill wording set by the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA), as they use the
• Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) standard.       There was some discussion regarding motorcyclists turning down the sound level themselves versus communities enacting restrictions that forces specific dB levels on everyone.  Cindy Hodges reports what the SMRO in New Hampshire is doing with signs encouraging motorcyclists to be quieter while riding, and reported the comments both pro and con that she has heard regarding this.    David Blume reported that Pennsylvania has enacted a law wherein a neighbor can call the police on a neighbor if it is felt the vehicle is too loud.  LEO visits the home and tests the dB level.  A person can only call and complain about a specific noise irritation twice if the irritation is found to be within compliance.  Then the complainer goes on an “ignore” list. 
•  
• Motorcycle-Only Check points:  Charlie Boone traveled to Jacksonville to get the names of those individuals stopped in the motorcycle-only check points.  A work group for this issue was put together at the last committee meeting and that group has been putting together ideas for a checklist to be made available to riders; listing info to make note of during such a stop.  Another publication is in the works to go to media contacts. (David Blume commented  we need to be certain to include “The Horse” magazine”. An email address has been set up for  riders affected by such a check point to contact this committee:  ncroadblocks@gmail.com.  Doc Ski explained that in trying to find some common ground on this issue he visited the new head of our Governor's Highway Safety Program, David Weinstein.  Bill Starnes's representative, Wil Neumann also contacted Mr. Weinstein.  Both of these encounters served to bring no positive answers, and leave us with more concerns.

                        Bill suggested we could use Weinstein's words to defend another request we have made to the Department of Transportation, and that is the ability to use the Alert road signs for Awareness bulletins.  Dale Carroll floated a philosophical question for discussion re:  if                   we use Weinstein's words in such a manner, does that indicate that we accept them as truthful?  There was short discussion. 

            e.         Helmet Repeal:  Doc Ski reminded everyone that, due to the short session policies regarding entering new pieces of legislation,  we will not be entering a bill during this upcoming session - - but  we so need to get a sponsor lined up for the 2011 session; we will be using clean bill language. 

            f.          Helmet Citation Defense:  There is nothing to report.  Bill Starnes is still watching over this but there has been no activity.  Cliff Cyphers asked a question relating to helmet-less runs and the possible effect to our tax status.  Discussion ensued on this subject and we           found this had been covered by our board in their discussions with the tax attorney. 

• Old Business:

            a.         NC Legislative Issues discussed:  Legislature is on session break and reconvenes 12 May.  Senator R.C. Soles not running for re- election. 

            b.         National Legislative Issues discussed:  MRF Report given.  NCOM Report given.

•  c.         District Legislative Reports:  Still no district legislative coordinator in any district. 
                         
  
• e.         Chapter LC updates:  Derrick  Hall <Charlotte>:  Rick Killion's National Guard unit was sent care packages by Charlotte Chapter.  Derrick also apprised us of the date change for Charlotte area legislators to visit a chapter meeting. Charli Chandler <Triad>: Ride to    Vote is August 14.  Legislators, including the Governor, and the media are invited to attend.  Cindy Hodges <Raleigh> Paul Wilms does a great info sheet on local legislators and would probably help your chapter too.  Bill Starnes <Gaston> Candidates coming for discussion and a hot dog dinner to chapter meeting. 

• New Business:

            a.         NC BikePAC – Needs money.  Consider fund-raising for BikePAC.  

            b.         Legislative Activities for 2010:  Lobby Day is 19 May.  Doc Ski encourages everyone to set up constituent team activities to build the bridges we need to be more effective; Home office visits, campaign support activities that we can do as individuals, BikePAC activities such as attending candidate fund raisers.

            c.         Legislative Agenda for 2010 – 2011 approved by committee:

• Increase number of voter registrations in the motorcycling community
• Amend ROW (Misdemeanor Death by vehicle) law
• Helmet Law Repeal
• Seek a sponsor for a bill that prohibits discrimination against motorcyclists in all business and recreational establishments in NC
• Enforce G.S. 20-141.5 to establish uniform, state-wide, “motorcycle pursuit” policies for all law enforcement officials.  Put oversight into place
• Make highway barriers more motorcyclist-friendly
• Prevent anti-gang legislation that targets motorcyclists
• Prevent legislation targeting motorcycle noise emissions
• Defend against unfriendly bills that are introduced. 

Calendar:

           
            a.         CBA/ABATE of NC BOD meeting next:  20 March 2010 
           
            b.         MRF Beast of the East:  09-11 April 2010, Greenville, SC, hosted by ABATE of SC

            c.         CBA/ABATE state meeting next:  17-18 April 2010.

•   d.         Meeting of The Minds here in Raleigh in 2012.    

Motion and second to pass/approve legislative agenda and calendar – motion passes.  
Motion to adjourn meeting – seconded and passed.