TMRA2 Legislative Update

We will start walking and talking on HB 706, the Equal Access Bill. It is time to write letters to your Representatives asking them to check out the Bill and please support it.
We also have a number on our helmet modification Bill. It is HB 727 by Rep. Chuck Hopson. No letters are needed on it right now but if you get the chance to stop by your Rep’s local office talk to them about both Bills.
IT IS TIME TO ROCK!!!

I had to go for an appointment with the sleep disorder clinic and they told me I have Central Apnea. I will go back in March and stay at least overnight to allow time to determine the best treatment. I attended the Funeral for one of the Mystical Riders, daughter in Brazoria on Saturday and then came back to the office from there. Dee and Jeniffer had sent Emails to all the Representatives asking that they pull up HB 706, the Equal Access Bill and that we would be by to talk to them concerning the Bill starting Monday morning.

We went to the Central Texas COC Meeting Sunday, where we explained our proposed budget for 2007 and that we only needed 3000 members out of the nearly 400,000 registered motorcycles in the state to be able to meet that budget for the year. We signed up 12 new members and the Boozefighters Chapter 50 joined as a Supporter member. We told them that on Legislative Day the Patriot Riders M/C signed up all 20 of their members. The Veterans of Vietnam M/C from Shreveport, La, signed on as Supporter members. We have gotten 56 members during the past week.

When they learned we were trying to get a Laptop Computer they all began murmuring that Sputnik should have one. Once again the Austin COC came through for us in our time of need. They tossed nearly $500 on the pool table and the owners of Cindy’s Gone Hog Wild said get the one we need and they will pay the difference. Then a member of the Boozefighters Chapter 50 called me over and asked for our address. He said he had bought a Laptop that he doesn’t use very often and he will mail it to us for free.

As the meeting was breaking up several of them came by, shook my hand and said “Don’t worry Sputnik, we’ll get those 3000 members for you. Thanks Austin, you guys and gals are true Bros and sisters. That’s what being a Biker is all about.
I have to run back to my Lung Doctor on Tuesday but will be back in the capitol on Wednesday.

Sputnik

You can read HR 88 honoring the bikers on Legislative Day 2007 by going to WWW.capitol.state.tx.us and click on it.
Thanks to everyone who worked so hard to make this event successful.
Sputnik

http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/tlodocs/80R/billtext/html/HR00088F.htm

Hello,It was a HUGE Success!!! If you were there, I’m sure you’ll never forget it. We were recognized from the floor in a Resolution by Representative Norma “Da Lady” Chavez, in her Leather, along with (after an Ammendment) Sponsorship by the ENTIRE House!!! Senate District 22 was well represented too. ALL of the SD 22 Chapters were had Warriors present, both at the Sunday meeting, and Monday at the Capitol. Sputnik personally assigned Smiley (Asst Coordinator – Lake Granbury Liberty Riders) to guide people to their Representative and Senator’s offices. When he made the assignment, she said, “…but I don’t have a Yellow Ribbon…”. To which Sputnik replyed, “…You don’t need a ribbon; You’re Smiley!…”. Her and Momma (thank you Momma) walked up and down the Halls of the State Capitol, and into the offices, introducing people to their employees ALL day. She had an emergency at home, but she held off until she helped fill the gallery with every available biker we could find. We packed that place and made it ROAR!!! Several Standing ovations from the floor, and many fine statements. We’ll have to hold them to those gracious words, and work WITH them to produce legislation that we need.

Rep Da Lady had a big cake (with Harley’s on it) and personally invited several of the SD 22 Warriors to follow her to her office for some, and we did! My daughter still has blue fingers from the part of the icing, and we all had blue teeth and lips for awhile, but it was gooooood! I’ll upload pics to the Legislative Day website asap. Special thanks to Sandy Duckett for helping my daughter Laena watch me. Representative Terri Hodge had some questions for Laena too, but she evaded them.

Nobody from East Texas called today and said he’s been swamped with calls about Legislative Day. They got TV coverage today, and said it all looked good. I didn’t notice anything here, but if anyone did, let me know.

For everyone whether you made it or not, we’ll need to be able to go back during Committee Hearings on our Bills that are making their way thru the system. Also, the Texas ABATE Confederation has their “Breakfast with the Bikers” coming up, and that’s another good time to go en masse to the Capitol to visit your employees (Senators and Representatives).

Ride Safe and 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

Legislative Day was not as good as it should have been on Monday. Many of those who did show up didn’t stay long enough to hear the Resolution read on the House Floor by Rep. Norma Da’Lady Chavez praising bikers as the defenders of the constitution and the right of the people to be heard.
Reps. Chuck Hopson and Borris Miles were Co-Authors.

We walked and talked from shortly after 7:00am until after 4:00pm telling the new legislators they were welcome to our House, only as long as they served the people and not the corporations. Our government has been for sale long enough. We told them that when being re-elected became their top priority we would have to take them out of our House and find someone to replace them. MOst of them appeared to take us seriously. We have two more members in the House. Rep. Terri Hodge and Rep. Borris Miles.

Dee, Robert of ABATE and I met with Senator Armbrister who is now a Legislative assistant to the governor. Equal Access and the Helmet Bill were the Bills we were most concerned with how the governor would treat them. SEnator Armbrister carried both these Bills for us when he was a Senator so he was quite familiar with their history. He said he would speak with the governor on our behalf.

Da’Lady, Mando and I met with Speaker Craddick concerning our Transportation Bills. After explaining the Bills we also pointed out that we could not get fair treatment from Chairman Krusee. He said that is no way to run an office and I will speak with Mr. Krusee. After a long day we finally got back to the hotel and saw bikers on all the news channels on the TV. It was very good coverage.

We watched “The Trailer Park Show” on channel 17 and Pokey gave us very good exposure during his show. He also praised our TV show as being the best show on TV. Tuesday Dee, Jenifer, Jerry and I went back and made the rounds again. I stopped in and spoke to Jim Pitts for a short time, just long enough to make an appointment with him for Monday morning. He asked if we were running the helmet Bill again to remove the insurance clause and I told him yes. He said I should talk to Senator Wentworth about it. I told him we had tried to talk to him about it but he wouldn’t talk to us.

Jim said he talked to me and he said he hopes you do try to take that amendment off because then he will raise the amendment to $100,000 insurance. Guess we know where we stand on that. We spent a good deal of time discussing our options and decided “dam the torpedos, full speed ahead.” If we can’t get enough support to stop Wentworth then let’ pay the price and put them back on.

Did get some good news though. The Equal Access Bill by Rep. Senfronia Thompson is HB 706. Pass the word around to all the riders it is time to start writing those letters. Ask that they pull up HB 706 and have the Representative look at it and read the position paper on it. Ask that they respond to you whether or not they will support the Bill. Then get in touch with the office and let us know where they stand on the Bill.

Pass it on.
Sputnik
–

EVERYTHING is looking good for the Best Legislative Day YET!!!The only problem is with the free camping. This tells it:

The J. Lorraine Ghost Town in Manor that we had reserved for camping thisweekend is under water and will not be, I say again, will not be availablefor anything.
Casey
True Few M/C

I wasn’t camping anyways, I don’t know about you, but I hope not. If so, let me know and we’ll look for something for you. I do know that there haven’t been ANY cancellations at the Austin Suites or the Red Roof Inn next door.

The weather forecast is good for Sunday, with a chance of rain then. The TMRA2 Temporary office should be open sometime after Noon, so check in there for all the latest. The meeting Sunday at the hotel is 5pm. I heard Dana was bringing heaters, so we’re ready. Everyone is encouraged to come to the meeting, to find out what to expect on Monday at the Capitol, and get other information, including a couple of Guest Speakers. Lanore Dixon will give us information on a current Texas Law that gives Hospitals the OK to pull the plug, despite you or your family’s wishes, for whatever reason they want. Learn more about this law and what you can do to protect families in Texas from involunary euthanasia at: http://texaspatientrights.org. Also Barry Cooper, a former LEO, who has come out AGAINST the prohibition of marijuana, will speak, answer questions, and hopefully have some of his new DVD’s to sell. You might have seen Barry on TV lately, and for more information, check out his website at: http://nevergetbusted.com/.

Our Employees (i.e. Representatives and Senators) should all be in their offices, ready for us, until the House starts it’s session at 2pm, at which time we want the House Gallery PACKED!!! The ride from Beverly’s at 9:30am should be a good one, but if you ain’t doing that, we’ll have people at the Capitol when the Capitol Cafeteria (i.e. Sputnik’s Office) opens at 7am. Be there then, and I’ll buy you a cup of coffee!

There WILL be news coverage, so let’s all be there and let them know, that WE are Standing Up and Showing Up, to Fight for OUR Rights!!! Please be there as early as you can, and STAY as long as you can. It makes a HUGE difference!!!

Ride Safe and Free (while U steelcan)

Greg Bodovsky
Senate District 22 Advisor
Texas Motorcycle Rights Associationwww.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