Legislative Update

Please pass along.
We felt that last session was a tough one in the capitol but this year our legislators are behaving like the Federal government. There is a feeding frenzy taking place this year as Party members turn against each other. Time has gone out the window as Floor battles delay committee hearings by as much as 3-4 hours from the posted start time, making for some 16-17 hour days at the capitol. We are hard pressed to find quality time with legislators to discuss our issues. Still we move slowly forward.

HB 264 Helmet Bill
We have met with and received pledges of support from, all members on the Calendars Committee except Chairman Wooley. She still has concerns about removing the insurance amendment. She is currently in her home district. We met with Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson today and he said he would talk to her. He said not to worry that he knew she would come around once he explained it to her. Of course we are sure she will as we believe we could bring her around if we could just get 5 minutes with her. Count on our friend Jerry to come through.91 Reps are now yeses on the Bill for a Floor vote.

SB 1310 - The companion Bill for HB 264
Not being able to catch up with Chairman Woolley we decided to work the Senate side for support of this Bill. Walking down the hall to Senator Seligar's office we met him coming down the hall in the opposite direction. He stopped amd asked where we were headed. Learning we had been headed for his office he turned around and said, well let's go.
You Panhandle Warriors remember we met with him during the campaign and promised him a our support and a victory. We also told him we expected the same support from him in the capitol. Well we got it. That was one of the most enjoyable meetings we have had this year. Put him down as yes. We will take him an application soon and he also wants to be a member of the Texas Chapter of the "LAWMAKERS" Club.

Moved on to the office of Senator Deuell who is a Doctor. Going to be a tough job here uh? He wasn't in but the reception from his staff was amazing. They fully understood our dilemma and were totally supportive of our Bill. An Aide walked over that we had met in the cafeteria a few days earlier when he introduced us to his niece and nephew as the hero of the capitol. He said I have some friends who ride, not hardcore bikers like you but when they heard I had met you they freaked. Could I get a picture of us together? That would really give me a standing of reverence with these friends. WE took the picture and then autographed his Aide card. If we don't get Senator Deuell's vote it won't be their fault.

Now it was time to meet the lion in his den. We went to the office of Senate Transportation to speak with Jeremiah, Committee Assistant to Chairman Todd Staples. We know this will be our most challenging person to bring on board. We explained the history of our helmet law to him in full detail and also acknowledged that Chairman Staples probably does not support the Bill. We explained that while we would appreciate his support for SB 1310 we were primarily more interested today in whether he would oppose the Bill. We explained we have the votes for passage in the House as all our Bills receive but we know it will be up to him personally whether we get a Senate hearing. It is our understanding that the purpose of a committee hearing is to determine whether a Bill has enough support for passage on the Floor and should not be used for personal reasons. We explained we were looking for a response from him to just one question at this time until we can get up with him personally. Whether or not he votes for the Bill, if we can show him we have carded enough committee votes to bring the Bill out would he give us a hearing and a vote.
We will give him one week to reply to us and then it will be up to you to take care of persuading him to get with it. Staples is in Senate District 03 so you Warriors in that district should start generating cards or Emails now asking that he bring SB 1310 up for a vote in committee Get your friends and family members to contact him also. The rest of you get ready.

Senator Todd Staples todd.staples@senate.state.tx.us
P.O. Box 12068
Austin, Texas 78711-2068

HB 514 Failure To Yield
We have been working with the House Transportation Committee members to get votes to bring this Bill out of committee. Again the chairman will be our primary adversary. Not because he doesn't like the Bill but because he doesn't like us. Those who have been on board for a while remember that we had the same problem with the Transportation Committee Chairman for our first helmet Bill in '97. After requesting calls be made to this man it took only three days for him to walk toward us in the hall with hands upraised, palms facing forward and say we heard them Sputnik, call them off, you will get your hearing on Monday. The Bill passed and this chairman became one of our strongest supporters in the House. We can do that again as a last resort if necessary. Chairman Krusee will not beat us!!

We shall stop by Senator Wentworth's office in the morning and ask that he request to view the tapes of the helmet stops last week that resulted in illegal tickets. Your calls to his office may help to move him off the fence. Do what you can with calls to get him to do this. If he won't do this we will stop wasting time and try to overcome any opposition he w may have during the committee hearing.

We will be in Bandera this weekend and then your chairman will have to be in Houston for an undetermined amount of time starting Monday. I will keep in touch daily and count on you to step up as the leaders I know you to be and pass our wishes to each other and to those in the capitol.

WE have several other issues we are covering and will get them posted, hopefully tomorrow.