TMRA2 Legislative Update

We met again with the folks pushing for SB 1368, Senator Carona’s Helmet Bill. There was some good news from the Medical professionals that they would fund PSAs for Motorists Awareness. Mr. Polunsky said the Senate Transportation Committee would find out who got our Training Fund moved and where it is now. Neither said so but I got the feeling these things would be done if we agreed to accept SB 1368 in some form.
They wanted the sticker to be mandatory and we couldn’t be stopped if we have it. I explained the law now says we can’t be stopped if we have it but they do it. Mr. Polunsky said there must be some way to keep them from profiling you. I let him know they are already supposed to take sensitivity training to quit profiling us and it hasn’t helped.
They offered two or three changes and each time I said I couldn’t accept the Bill that way. Finally I told them LOOK, WE CAME TO YOU FOR HELP AND I CAN SEE WE AREN”T GOING TO GET IT HERE. YOU JUST DO WHAT YOU WANT, WE WILL RUN OUR BILL AND WE SHALL JUST SEE WHAT HAPPENS. The upshot was that we try one more time to come up with something I would accept and I walked out.
Again we are at the point that we make Wentworth happy or we lose. Senator Carona has shown us that Wentworth controls the Senate, FOR NOW. I have talked to Jimmy and Robert and here is how it shapes up. We don’t think Senator Carona can pass Wentworth’s Bill in the House and he won’t bring ours up in the Senate. I shall go back into Mr. Polunsky’s office on Monday and tell him that Senator Carona can do as he sees fit. We will go with our Bill in the House and try to kill his in the Senate. If that fails we shall give it our best shot at killing it in the House.
We are citizens of this great State of Texas and we demand to be treated as such. So say I, so say we all !!!
We may just have to wait until we get some Democrat Chairmen again.
Sputnik
State Chair / TMRA 2

HB 253,The Road Block Bill will be heard in Law Enforcement Committee Monday morning at 8:00am in room E1.014 This Bill would allow road blocks to be set up by any law enforcement agency for four hours at a time. While it is supposedly aimed at stopping drunk driving it also gives them the choice to arrest passengers who may be drunk. It basically says anyone in the car can be arrested for ANY violation of law.
The Supreme Court ruled that being stopped at a checkpoint is the equivalent of detainment or arrest and no probable cause is required for a search. This Bill goes against everything this state and this country were founded on. Your Chairman will once again be there to testify against the Bill on your behalf. If you are free you could stop in and testify or sign a card in opposition to this Bill.
After the meeting I have to return to my doctor to get the results of some of my tests on Tuesday morning at 8:00am.
I am back in the office after undergoing the Ecktocardiogram this morning.
We will be meeting with Senator Carona’s crew again tomorrow on his helmet Bill SB 1368. Will head back to Houston for the COC Meeting on Saturday and be in Groesbeck on Sunday for the TOG Chapter meeting.

You can stop the phone calls now. They have heard you. Two riders have contacted me and said they would not bring the Bill out of committee until the calls stop.
Pass this on and thank you for the calls.

Sputnik

HOW DID OUR WEEKEND GO?

We were invited to attend the state meeting for the Alternative M/C (Clean& Sober) so we rode down to Mountain Breeze Campground Saturday morning. Good fellowship, good food and after they finished their meeting we spoke to them about TMRA 2. They were very attentive and asked several questions. After we finished talking to them ten of the members present came over and joined. Some of those present were already members.

The National President gave us a check for the club to become a member and told us that all members in Texas would become Legislative Warriors. We were invited to stick around for the Bar-B-Q and the Bands that would be playing Saturday night. We graciously declined because the old man was having a tough time breathing and was using up oxygen. We also had the Austin COC Meeting coming up the next day so we headed back to the office.

Sunday though the air was still pretty tough to breath we went to Cindy’s Gone HOG Wild for the COC meeting. The owners are really expanding and they said it was being done so bikers would have a good place to go. Prior to the unofficial meeting beginning Bart Luck our Austin Chapter Coordinator (with a big smile) handed Terri 17 memberships which he had received at the San Antonio COC Meeting. All of those came from the LEATHERNECKS M/C Chapter 6. Bandido Jimmy then told us that a that TMRA 2 membership would be required to prospect for that Club. Two clubs in one weekend making that pledge made it a worthwhile weekend but it didn’t end there.

Tom Zimmer, with CMA had taken a fantastic picture of those who rode infrom Beverly’s for Legislative Day, standing on the South Steps to the Capitol. They had blown it up into two 20×30 prints and framed. The two prints were presented to Bandido Jimmy as State President of the Texas COC and to Sputnik as chairman of TMRA 2. We also signed up three new members attending the COC meeting.

Prior to heading out we spoke with some of members of the Leathernecks M/C and Breeze agreed to assume the office of District 14 Advisor. Thirty memberships and a District Advisor. We call that a pretty good weekend. Now if each of you signed up just one member this weekend we have met our budget for the year. Haha

Sputnik

OK FOLKS IT IS CRUNCH TIME ON 706 THE EQUAL ACCESS BILL.
CHAIRMAN ROBY COOK HAS ONCE AGAIN FAILED TO PUT IT UP FOR A WEDNESDAY HEARING AS WE WERE TOLD.
EVERYONE WHO RECEIVES THIS NOTICE CALL HIS OFFICE STARTING MONDAY MORNING AT 8:00am.
ASK THEM WHY THE CHAIRMAN IS REFUSING TO PUT HB 706 BEFORE THE COMMITTEE WHEN WE HAVE 106 REPRESENTATIVES SAYING THEY WILL VOTE FOR THE BILL INCLUDING EVERY MEMBER OF THE CIVIL PRACTICES COMMITTEE AND THE CALENDARS COMMITTEE.
BE COPURTEOUS WITH THE FOLKS WHO ANSWER THE PHONE THEY DO NOT MAKE THE DECISIONS.

COOKS NUMBER IS 512-463-0730 800-643-7026
The committee clerk is 512-4632090 Call there and ask why the Bill
isn’t posted.
I will be in Chairman Cook’s office first thing Monday and I want to hear that phone ringing like it used to when we hit a snag in the capitol.
Pass this information to your friends.

Sputnik