Motorcycle Rights Freedom Rally

And Assembly Transportation Committee Hearing

California State Capitol - Sacramento 

Monday, January 9, 2012

SCORE! - CA SB 1047 (Prohibit NHTSA Funding for Motorcycle Only Checkpoints), Jeffries, unanimously passed the second hearing in the Assembly Transportation Committee: 14 Ayes/0 Nays. It will now go forward to Appropriations. ABATE Lobbyist Jim Lombardo, not only got the CA Police Chiefs Association to remove their opposition – but succeeded in gaining their support for the amended bill.

The bill language and presentation, although based on federal funding of an unfair practice, drove the nail home around the issue of selective motorcyclist 'profiling'. 

Congratulations to ABATE of CA, MMA of CA and the US Defenders on this first step, but it’s not law yet; there is still much to do!

So what does this mean to you? We need everyone to contact their local legislators and tell them that these civil rights issues are very important to us and that they need to support our bills in committee and when they get a chance to vote on the House and Senate floor. We need to build a case for our more specific motorcycle anti-profiling bill in 2013. Washington State took 2 years to pass their historic motorcycle anti-profiling law - significant pieces of legislation require years of preparation with short term wins and ongoing progress. Passing AB 1047 is one piece in the jigsaw puzzle leading to our civil liberties and freedoms.

Another Try – After a long string of biker patriots stepped up to the mic in support, CA AB 695, the helmet modification bill, (freedom to choose) Norby; received 4 Ayes/3 Nays on 1/09/2012 and was placed on-call until the rest of the Committee was available to vote.

· On 1/11/2012: the final tally from the Transportation Committee came in. AB 695 failed to pass by a vote of 7 Nays to 4 Ayes. They didn’t have the guts to do it while we were all in the room.

· Aye's: Jeffries, Logue, Miller, Norby

· No's: Lowenthal, Achadjian, Blumenfield, Bonilla, Buchanan, Eng, Mitchell
Abstaining: Galgiani, Portantino, Solorio

· Note those who voted No and their historic voting records. Perhaps it’s time for us to help determine their fate as legislators. Remember…we still have the right and privilege of selecting our legislators – be certain to exercise your right!

From the Podium – Assembly District 29 Representative Dr. Linda Halderman, from Clovis, was the first speaker for the Freedom Rally. An ABATE member and motorcyclist; she stated she is an advocate for our voice in Sacramento. She plans to introduce legislation to bring back the “Motorcycles OK” signs to the designated high density (carpool) lanes.

Assembly District 74 Representative Garrick, from San Diego, plans to introduce legislation to make CA a part time legislature. Most states have part-time legislatures including Texas and Florida, two of the most populated. Until 1966, the California Legislature was a part-time body before it switched to a full -time, full-pay and benefits legislature.  Since that time, the budget to run the Legislature has grown exponentially and there are thousands of bills introduced each year, all having the ability to take your rights away. Since his election five years ago, Assemblyman Garrick asserts the legislature has introduced 11,878 bills, many unnecessary.

Assembly District 59 Representative Donnelly, from San Bernardino, said he hated to tell us this but since 1/01/2012 – it is now a felony to carry a blade longer than 4 inches on the Capitol lawns. He then explained that when it came out in the news last week that he tried to go through the Airport Security system with his loaded .45, it was all just a big mistake. He said “People are afraid of us, our look, our demeanor and our patches. These people have forgotten what it is to be free. We can choose to wear a helmet but it should not be law.” The legislature is currently reviewing its security practices over the incident.

Assembly members Jeffries, Norby, Berryhill, Nielson and Logue spoke at the podium as well as representatives from MMA, ABATE and the U.S. Defenders.

On the Radar – There are rumblings about the Capitol that our California right to share lanes is about to be challenged again. Legislation is being prepared that could be an attached item buried in another proposal.

At this point, I would suggest that you all get the word out to your fellow motorcyclists. Your U.S. Defenders and MROs are working on a combined strategy to defeat any proposed legislation that will make lane sharing illegal in California. We cannot let his happen!!! A Call To Action is planned for February in preparation for legislation to be introduced in March…more to follow.

Recent Call To Action – SB 1867 - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012. On 12/01/2011, it passed the Senate with amendments by Yea-Nay. 93 – 7. The CTA on 12/14/2011 requested you to follow a web link to sign a petition requesting President Obama to veto this bill which views all Americans as possible terrorists. Any American Citizen, under this bill, can be detained and held indefinitely without a trial. The President signed the House version, HR 1540, on 12/31/2011 stating “I want to clarify that my Administration will not authorize the indefinite military detention without trial of American citizens and that any detention will comply with the Constitution.” The President acknowledged serious reservations with the content of the NDAA, but with his signature, it is now Federal law.

Prepared by Helldog, CCCOC U.S. Defender