As most of you are aware Paul and I have been meeting with Senator Carona’s Staff and several other groups working on a helmet Bill that could be satisfactory to all concerned. The Bill from last session called for Rider Training AND $150,000 medical insurance to ride without a helmet. Of course we killed that without it even coming up for a vote.
The Senator came back again this session and we began all over again. All the same people with a few more added and the first three meetings brought no results that neither Paul nor I could accept. They sent us a copy of a Draft along with an estimate of the cost for the necessary insurance. It could run as high as $7600 per year. You can be certain that neither Paul nor I jump forward to approve any such nonsense as that.
I wrote a letter last night telling them what to do with the helmet Bill and took it with me when we went back for today’s meeting. We began with the same back and forth actually getting nowhere and one by one the groups began to withdraw from the table. Finally with just DPS, Texas Insurance, Carona’s Staff, Paul and I we got down to the basics. WE let it be known we had no reason to trust that anything we agreed to in committee would remain the same on the Floor. We were assured that after reading and agreeing to a draft we could all sign a guarantee it would remain the same on the Floor. OK on to the next item.’
We stated our problem with being stopped and harassed just for not wearing a helmet even though we were legal. DPS agreed with us that was a problem so it was agreed the new Bill would read an officer can not stop a rider just for not wearing a helmet. Score another one for us. That is exactly what we passed in the House in 2001 but it got killed in the Senate.
Paul and I both rejected the AND insurance but opted to leave it Training OR Insurance. Not only did we get that left in but rather than increase the amount of insurance coverage required, the amount was removed entirely. That way an officer can’t tell you "it don’t say $10,000" and give you a ticket.
They said they will have another Draft ready to file this week. Will Senator Carona accept what we put together? That remains to be seen. If he does accept it we came out very well, if not then he can just leave it alone because we can kill it if he puts it back up like it was before.It has been a real pleasure working with Paul Landers on this issue. It is always so much easier when two people agree completely and can whip saw back and forth.
Thanks so much Paul.
HIGH PRIORITY
Wednesday March 4th 8:00am
There will be a Transportation & Homeland Security Committee hearing in room E1.016. SB 298, Senator Carona’s Road Block Bill is scheduled to be heard during this meeting. If there is any way possible please plan to get by there and at least sign a card in opposition to the Bill. If necessary you may then go on about your business.
Below is a list of the committee members. Call each one of them to let them know you oppose SB298
John Carona - Kirk Watson - Wendy Davis - Rodney Ellis - Joan Huffman - Robert Nichols -Florence Shapiro - Eliot Shapleigh - Jeff Wentworth
Thanks a lot.
Hope to see all of you in Groesbeck this weekend.
Sputnik State Chair /TMRA 2
