TMRA2 Legislative Update

The Texas Attorney General issued an opinion that Poker Runs that pay out cash are illegal. His justification for this opinion was that they were games of chance and therefore come under the Lottery Law and only the state may run a lottery. It is supposedly legal to play Poker in the state if the house does not take a cut of the pot.
After studying the opinion and conferring with an Attorney I decided to host a RUN-N-GUN Poker Run to take the chance out of the game and make it a game of skill. Each entrant paid a fee to play and all the money collected was paid out to the winner. I believe any game which requires skill rather than luck and where no money is kept by the host would pass muster.
I am not an Attorney and I make no guarantee that this will be found legal by a court of law but am personally willing to find out. I shall be hosting another RUN-N-GUN Poker Run the last weekend of October at the Howl-O-Ween Biker Rally in Groesbeck. I will be personally responsible for any action that may be taken as a result of this decision.

-Sputnik

THERE WILL BE A MEETING OF THE AUSTIN TMRA 2 CHAPTER TUESDAY, AUG. 1 7:30P TO 8:30P AT THE ROADHOUSE BAR AND GRILL IN ROUND ROCK, TX HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE
RAGU

T M R A 2
Texas Motorcycle Rights Association

New Chapter
Navarro County
August 7th
Monday Night ************ 7pm

Held at “That Church”
North Business 45 Corsicana, Texas

For Information Call James At (903) 327-2929
or reply to Greg at this email!!!
Spread the word.
Sputnik is scheduled to be there.

Ride Safe & Free (while U steelcan)

Greg Bodovsky
Senate District 22 Advisor
Texas Motorcycle Rights Association
www.tmra2.org
LET THOSE WHO RIDE DECIDE
–
First they came for the Communists,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Jew.
Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me,
and by that time there was no one
left to speak up for me.
Rev. Martin Niemoller, 1945

UPDATE 7/24/06

Good morning everyone. It was a whirlwind visit with my son and his family during his three week visit. Had too much running around to do but did get to be with them for the last five days in a row. Of course it rained the whole time they were here.
Dropped them off at the airport about 4:00am Friday morning and headed back to the office. Grabbed a few supplies and went right on down to San Marcos to meet up with Dee and headed out for Goldsmith to attend the Black Gold Rally. Jan & Bob Walker had put their travel trailer at our disposal for the weekend and it was very much appreciated. We enjoyed seeing Brois, Bob & Jan, Dean and the rest of our members from the Permian Basin Chapter at the Rally.
This Rally was indeed an experience. Goldsmith has about three hundred population, a convenience store and three Biker Bars. The general public was very friendly and kept checking to see if we needed anything. It was hot and dry but thanks to the Volunteer Fire Dept. constantly watering down the grounds the dust was kept to a minimum. The band Push Rod put on a good show and then I spoke from the stage. The response was not overwhelming except for one fact that came through from the 21 people who signed up to become members. ALL BUT ONE HAD NEVER HEARD OF TEXAS MOTORCYCLE RIGHTS ASSOCIATION!!!
We did get really good coverage from the TV Station Saturday night so possibly more of them will have heard about us by now. We passed out a lot of brochures so I feel confident that there will be more members coming from this event. There is also a large chapter of the Cossacks M/C in Goldsmith and I am sure Dean will have them signed on in the near future. This has the potential of expanding the Permian Basin tremendously.
Don’t forget the Advisor meeting on August 12th. Check around your area and see what Texas articles you can come up with for the Mid South M.I.L.E. and bring them to the meeting if possible.

Sputnik

P.S. for Kanga:
See if you can get a copy of the tape made during our last visit out to the COC meeting and bring it to me please.
Thanks,
Sput

MRF E-MAIL NEWS
Motorcycle Riders Foundation
236 Massachusetts Ave.
NESuite 510
Washington, DC 20002-4980
202-546-0983 (voice)
202-546-0986 (fax)
http://www.mrf.org (website)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jeff Hennie, MRF Vice-President of Government Relations
jeff@mrf.org (e-mail)

July 22, 2006

#06NR13 – MRF Announces Federal Motorcycle Safety Grant Program Users Guide

The Motorcycle Riders Foundation is pleased to announce the finalization of the National Highway Traffic Administration’s (NHTSA) Motorcycle Safety Grant Program.

This program is the direct result of the Motorcycle Riders Foundation, the supporting State Motorcycle Rights Organizations (SMRO’s) and all the individual motorcyclists who have lobbied for this program over the past four years.

This program will provide much needed federal dollars from the Highway Trust Fund to the individual State’s to help fund motorcycle safety programs. The grant program runs annually through 2009 and sets aside $25 million dollarsto be spent at $100,000.00 a year per State.

In order to be eligible for the funds The States must meet one of six criteria and two the second and subsequent years. The criteria are that the applying State must have:
1. A motorcycle rider training program
2. A motorcycle awareness program
3. A reduction in fatalities involving motorcycles
4. An effective impaired driving program
5. A reduction in fatalities and accidents involving impaired motorcyclists
6. Use of fees collected from motorcyclist for motorcycle programs must be used for motorcycle programs

The MRF is also pleased that the final program retains all of the same intents set forth by Congress in the original legislation.

For a complete guide to the program and all of the specifics on how, where and when to apply visit: http://www.mrf.org/pdf/Grantguide.pdf