TMRA2 Legislative Update

IMMEDIATE CALL TO ACTION FOR ALL US DEFENDERS & TMRA2 STATE WIDE

SB1572 FUSION CENTER PRIVACY POLICY

CALL TO ACTION FOR ALL US DEFENDERS & TMRA2 STATE WIDE: We need you at the Capitol!

We just received notice that S.B.1572-Fusion Center Bill introduced by Senator Kirk Watson is up for committee hearing this coming Wednesday at the Texas capitol. We need letters and support on this bill.

If you can show up to the capitol and testify in writng and the bill will probably not be heard until Wednesday afternoon since its the third bill from the last to come up for that day.

COMMITTEE: Transportation & Homeland Security TIME & DATE: 7:30 AM, Wednesday, March 30, 2011

PLACE: E1.016 (Hearing Room)
CHAIR: Senator Tommy Williams

There is an sample letter attached and we ask that each biker write a letter and e-mail it or fax it, and CALL to each committee member below immediately:

Paul
National Lt.Commander
US Defenders
State Chairman
Texas Motorcycle Rights Association

www.usdefenders.org

www.tmra2.org

Position Member

Chair: Sen. Tommy Williams
e-mail tommy.williams@senate.state.tx.us
fax: 512-463-0104
Vice Chair:
Sen.Kirk Watson
E-mail kirk.watson@senate.state.tx.us
Fax: 512-463-0114

Sen. Wendy Davis
Wendy.davis@senate.state.tx.us
Fax: 512-463-0110

Sen. Rodney Ellis
Rodney.ellis@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0006

Sen. Chris Harris
Chris.harris@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-7003

Sen. Juan Hinojosa
Juan.hinojosa@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-1020

Sen. Robert Nichols
Robert.nichols@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-1526

Sen. Florence Shapiro
Florence.shapiro@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-0108

Sen. Jeff Wentworth
Jeff.Wentworth@senate.state.tx.us
512-463-7794

Fusion Center Example letter

To: Senator Tommy Williams
Chairman for Transportation and Homeland Security

E-mail: tommy.williams@senate.state.tx.us

Fax: 512-463-6373

In Re: SB1572 Fusion Center Bill relating to Intelligence Data Standards and Protected Personal Information

Dear Senator Williams:

We are asking for support on SB1572 referenced above relating to Fusion Center Privacy Policies so that the state of Texas can:

-Reduce the cost of spending in the law enforcement arenas; Have model fusion centers for the rest of the states to model them by;
-Cut down on law suits for unconstitutional profiling which cost Texas taxpayers money; And collect data on the real criminals while still protecting every Texans civil rights.

Currently there are two fusion centers in Texas that have already adopted a privacy policy. Our goal is to simply make it state law for all six of the centers currently in Texas.

The fusion center were originally tasked with preventing and combating terrorism, most fusion centers now take on an “all-crimes approach”, incorporating information and intelligence about a multitude of crimes from large scale illicit drug operations to simple traffic stops.

Expanding further, many fusion centers are now collecting and analyzing private and non-criminal information such as political beliefs and activities, shopping purchases, driving habits, and even health records.

As a motorcyclist I am concerned with Fusion Centers for a variety of reasons. Among them is the unfortunate fact the Fusion Center system has been utilized on numerous occasions across the country in order to violate the rights of and profile innocent Americans who are engaging in First Amendment protected activity.

Additionally, motorcyclists from across the state are reporting to the CDC&I and the Texas Motorcycle Rights Association that DPS officers and local police are pulling them over, taking pictures of their patches and tattoos, and placing their information into fusion center databases when there is no criminal activity suspected.

We ask that you vote YES for SB1572 so that the Fusion Centers can be operated without violating an individual’s Constitutional rights.

Please reply to this correspondence.

Paul Landers

Address

voterID#

We are proud to announce that the tireless efforts of the US Defenders, Texas Motorcycle Rights Association, Texans for Accountable Government, and the ACLU have paid off with the written and sponsored Fusion Center

Bills attached for Texas.

Once Rep. Thompson agreed to sponsor HB 3219, our Senator Watson jumped aboard in sponsoring SB 1572.

Although we did not write everything we wanted in the Legislation, the very important language regarding personal privacy, not targeting select organizations and groups of citizens, release of medical records etc. was accepted. The more oversight we have, the less intrusive and criminal actions law enforcement can take against our community. We must hold them accountable!

I am sharing this legislation with ALL States, hopefully it may assist your efforts in implementing in your own State houses.

There are currently 71 facilities Nationwide that are operational with more to come. The Federal Government must be held to an open records, community oversight, and an actual audit of exactly what they are doing with illegally obtained information on US. Citizens on our sovereign soil!

This Legislation is a start, we are working very hard to find the support from the Capitol to guarantee transparency and accountability in our governing process with fairness for ALL……sounds familiar huh?

The principles our US Defenders grass roots movement are founded on and continue to work every day!!!!!!

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns regarding this very important Legislation.

Escondido Paul
National Lt.Commander
US Defenders
512.276.0681

www.usdefenders.org

We stand in solidarity together with the AMA,TMRA2,MRF, ABATE, MMA and all citizen motorcyclists in the United States against the Un-Constitutional use of motorcycle only checkpoints being implemented in Georgia ! Coming to your State soon?

Please use the press release below from the AMA to write your State Senators and Representatives in your State to solicit their support against grant money being used by the Federal Government to induce other States to participate in this tyranny!

As you know we have voiced our disapproval recently with this, our work is not finished by any means, it has just begun!

Bill introduced to prohibit funding discriminatory motorcycle-only checkpoints

Urge your Representative to support today!

On March 3, 2011, Representative Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI) introduced legislation (HR 904) that would prohibit the Secretary of Transportation from providing grants or any funds to states or local governments to be used for any program to create motorcycle-only checkpoints (MOCs). In addition to Sensenbrenner, Reps. Tom Petri (R-WI) and Paul Ryan (R-WI) are original cosponsors.

Because MOCs are discriminatory and have not been proven effective, the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) strongly supports this new legislative effort and urges motorcyclists to take action to assure passage. The AMA needs your help to contact your Representative immediately and urge them to cosponsor this legislation.

This bill came about in response to the Motorcycle Law Enforcement Demonstrations Grant (DTNH22-10-R-00386) program administered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Initially begun in New York State, the process involves establishing checkpoints in which only motorcycles are pulled over and subjected to a series of inspections.

As you may know, the state of Georgia was the only state to receive a grant in the amount of $70,000 from the NHTSA program to create MOCs. The grant will be used to conduct one or more roadside motorcycle-only checks in accordance with what was outlined in the Request for Applications. The Georgia State Patrol (GSP) will oversee the day-to-day operation of the program.

On October 26, 2010, the AMA sent a letter to Georgia’s former Governor Sonny Perdue requesting he suspend the implementation of the grant until questions raised by the motorcycling community are addressed. The former governor did not respond to AMA’s letter. Therefore, the AMA sent another letter, dated February 15, 2011, to Georgia’s newly-elected Governor Nathan Deal.

The AMA cautions riders traveling through the state of Georgia that the GSP may mobilize the MOC before, during and after Daytona Bike Week.

In addition to the letters submitted to the past and present governors of Georgia, the AMA has questioned the potential discriminatory and legal nature of this program and submitted a list of questions for clarification to the New York State Police. To date, New York authorities have not responded. The AMA also sent a letter to the NHTSA Administrator David Strickland urging him to suspend the grant program until questions have been addressed.

Additionally, on September 30, 2010, Sensenbrenner, along with some of his congressional colleagues, sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. The congressional letter urged LaHood to suspend the grant program that would expand the highly criticized practice of creating motorcycle-only checkpoints by law enforcement agencies. The AMA strongly supports this important letter.

The AMA believes that the primary source of motorcycle safety is in motorcycle crash prevention and not in arbitrarily pulling over riders and randomly subjecting them to roadside inspections. The NHTSA should focus on decreasing the likelihood of crashes from occurring in the first place. The methods used in New York State and possibly Georgia remain highly suspect and no public money should be applied to promoting such a program without first addressing questions from the motorcycling community.

Specifically, how do MOCs increase the safety of motorcyclists? Where do the selected states draw their authority to conduct MOCs? Will “probable cause” be required to stop a motorcycle under the terms of this grant program? If so, what will constitute “probable cause?” What types of infractions were recorded by New York law enforcement officials at these checkpoints? What criteria will be used to determine if the MOCs are successful? Do states have the jurisdiction to inspect vehicles registered in another state? And, how was the safety of motorcyclists improved by the use of MOCs?

This bill is critical to ending the discriminatory practice of MOCs. The motorcycling community needs you to contact your Representative now to ask them to cosponsor Sensenbrenner’s new bill to end funding for MOCs. Just follow the “Take Action” option to send a pre-written e-mail directly to your Representative.
http://capwiz.com/amacycle/home/

Act Now on this important issue!

Escondido Paul

National Lt.Commander

US Defenders

State Chairman – TMRA2

512.276.0681

www.usdefenders.org