Saturday night just after midnight we got a phone call informing us that Aldo Luna, VP of the Road Dogs M/C in El Paso had been hit broadside on his motorcycle while enroute to the District Advisor Meeting for TMRA 2.
He had volunteered to represent Dist. 29 during the meeting.
He is in Brackenridge Hospital in critical condition. He is on a respirator and has numerous broken bones and lacerations. Aldo will require several operations and a long, long time to recuperate if indeed he does survive. State Secretary, Terri met with the family at the hospital today to give what help she could. The driver has admitted fault and said his insurance company would pay. The case has been called in to AIM Attorney Richard Lester. Remember this man and his family in your prayers.
Sunday we attended the COC Meeting at Cindy’s Gone Hog Wild on Hwy. 71.
There was no attorney present so no official business took place. We learned from Gimmee Jimmy that Rick Perry is looking forward to signing an Adult Helmet Bill in Texas next year. We had already been told there would be a Helmet Bill introduced by a House Member. We shall still file a Cleanup Bill on the Helmet Law in both Houses.
With Senator Lautenberg on the Transportation Sub-committee and the Appropriations Committee we will damned sure be facing a federal helmet Bill next year. We will have to pop a kink in some DC Democrats tails to see that don’t happen.
We received the $1500 check from Alamo City Gypsy M/C to renew their Platinum Membership and signed up 9 individual members.
Jennifer and I spent several hours in the capitol today. We walked the halls and I introduced her to several staff members of our major supporters, both Dem and Repub., Reps and Senators. We explained the New Legislative Task Force we had set up on Saturday and asked them to give the Task Force members the same respect and courtesy as they have extended to me over the years. Each agreed that would be done. We also gave them the date for Legislative Day.
We stopped by to request reserved parking spaces for our day at the capitol. We told them we need every parking meter they control around the capitol for that day. We are anticipating at least 10,000 riders to pass through the capitol on that Monday. We learned we can file a written request for 116 meter spaces and any more than that have to come from the city. The spaces are reserved on a 1st come 1st served basis. We will learn on Monday if our request will be approved. Now we need riders there to meet our boast.
We received a Draft of a Poker Run Bill while at Rep Chavez’s office but it is only for Charity Poker Runs. That might make Charity Riders happy but it would be of no use to TMRA 2. Rep Chavez has also introduced a Bill to be a defense to prosecution to allow Indian Tribes to gamble on their land.
I believe we could better support the introduced Bill to legalize gambling in Texas and establish a Gaming Commission to oversee casinos and such.
More on that later. We were given a copy of a proposed Bill in Senator Gallegos’ office to allow lane splitting under certain conditions. We were asked to read it and comment. It would need some modifications for me to recommend it for support.
The Bill last year to require that you have to take a Rider Training Course to get a license which we shot down and offered a compromise for will be introduced this year with the compromise. To purchase a vehicle in your name you must show proof of a current license to operate that type vehicle.
It’s going to be a fun session and we are looking forward to seeing more riders getting involved this time.
We shall post finalized Plans for Legislative Day 2007 sometime next week.
Ride Free – Ride Sober
Sputnik
State Chair / Texas Motorcycle Rights Association
