Sooner State ABATE Sentinel - Volume 4 Issue 1
NCOM REGION 2 REPORT • November 2017
OKLAHOMA Sooner State ABATE , Inc ., secured the Governor ’ s Proclamation designating May 2017 as Motorcycle Safety and Awareness Month . Rider Education Classes continue at the newly-established Range in Muskogee , which began in March 2017 . The May 18 , 2017 M . E . A . L . ( Motorcyclists Educating and Affecting Legislation ) Breakfast at the State Capitol enjoyed a successful turnout , and the Oklahoma Confederation of Clubs is working with SSA on the next event , taking place on Feb . 15 , 2018 . SB496 , our second attempt at passing Anti-Profiling Legislation , will be carried over to the 2018 Session with new authors . This legislation is critical , as Oklahoma Law Enforcement targets Motorcyclists for “ Safety Stops ” to check their documentation . Bills to clarify and authorize aftermarket and auxiliary / LED lighting ( HB1173 and SB53 ) were consolidated , passed and was signed by the Governor . HB1550 , authorizing affixed locking Trunks on motorcycles as legal to store concealed firearms , also passed . Both bills went into effect Nov . 1 . HB1258 was also passed , where OKCOC members worked with the bill ’ s authors to re-write the bill to allow “ legal ” vs . “ illegal ” Aliens to obtain OK Drivers Licenses , as opposed to “ Citizen ” vs . “ Non-Citizen ”. The REAL-ID Bill was signed into Law March 2 . OK Citizens can keep their old-style Drivers Licenses if concerned about privacy , or can go with the new REAL-ID Compliant licenses allowing them to pass through airports in lieu of a Passport . This procedure has been delayed until Oct . 2018 . OKCOC programs are vibrant , including Christian Unity , OK Vets Connection , the U . S . Defenders Program , and the Coalition of Independent Riders ( C . O . I . R .) for our state . All these programs continue to identify with Sooner State ABATE . The OKCOC fortunately has not had problems with the OK State Fair this year regarding Anti-Biker Discrimination . One important law that went into effect Nov . 1 allows police to pull over and ticket vehicles staying in the left lane without passing , citing for “ Impeding Traffic ” Pack Riders in the left lane of Interstates have already been pulled over and warned ! Finally , the 2018 Mid-South M . I . L . E . Six-State Regional Motorcyclists Rights Seminars are scheduled to take place next October in Oklahoma City . More information is available at : www . midsouthmile . org Check out the OK COC Website at : www . okcoc . net , the Central OK District Website at : www . codabate . org and the SSA State Website at : www . soonerstateabate . com for more information on Oklahoma issues .
KANSAS ABATE is working more closely with the Kansas Confederation of Clubs on Biker Freedom issues .
Governor Brownback again signed the May Motorcycle Awareness Month Proclamation for 2017 . SB99 and HB2010 , prohibiting using any hand-held communications devices while driving , died in committee , and HB2194 , revising motorcycle licensing and fees , is pushed to 2018 . The Red Light Bill , a bill to establish Cable Barriers and a Safety Corridor Bill failed in committee this 2017 Session , as did bills to allow “ Lane Filtering ” for over 10MPH . They will be re-introduced in 2018 . HB2174 ( Disabled License Plates ) and HB2200 ( limited alcohol sales in grocery stores ), were passed . HB2202 ( License Renewal Fee increase ), HB2188 ( Right-of-Way Bill ), and HB2104 ( Minimum Insurance increase ) died in committee . Steve Christen Berry has signed on as Registered Lobbyist with ABATE for the 2018 Session . ABATE held its annual Labor Day Bike Rally Sept . 1-4 , 2017 at Paradise Point , Perry Lake , which was successful . This event is still the oldest continuously held ABATE State Rally in the Nation . Obtain more ABATE of Kansas information at : www . abateks . org
NEBRASKA LB368 , the Freedom of Choice Bill regarding helmet wear for riders over 21 , has essentially died . Unfortunately , after the bill was killed in cloture March 14--it could not be resurrected . ABATE is prepared to advance similar legislation in the 2018 Session . ABATE is also urging its members to take the MRF National Survey on Motorcyclist Profiling . Their Lobby Day is scheduled for Jan . 22 , 2018 at the State Capitol in Lincoln . Please go to www . abateofne . com for more information on ABATE ’ s activities . Law Enforcement continues to receive grant money to pull over motorcyclists at Helmet Compliance Checkpoints and check their helmets both for a DOT sticker on the outside and a DOT certification label inside , despite opposition efforts . If a helmet doesn ’ t have both , riders risk a fine , helmet confiscation , or motorcycle towing . This continues to pose a hazard for traffic headed to Sturgis .
MISSOURI ABATE for Missouri continues to function as the Legislative Liaison for the Missouri COC & I . Missouri Bikers again attempted to get Freedom of Choice for helmet wear approved , but time ran out on both HB576 and SB8 . ABATE and FORR-MO plan to submit similar bills in the 2018 Session . Drivers Education Funding / School Classes ( HB354 ) and Right-Of-Way Penalty Increase ( HB539 ) Bills both failed . ABATE and MCOC & I still engage in productive dialogue with Missouri Highway Patrol on eliminating Motorcyclist Profiling . Anti-Profiling ( SB424 ) and Lane-Filtering ( SB420 ) Bills are being carried over to 2018 . Other bills include HB293 ( No Texting while Driving ) and SB222 ( Clarifying LED Lighting Specifications ). See ABATE for Missouri ’ s Facebook Page for additional Legislative Information . Governor Nixon has designated May as Motorcycle Awareness Month on a continuing basis . ABATE-MO got this passed last year as a continued statute for the future . ABATE for MO is expanding upon LED
Lighting ( all colors ), and Vertical License Plates . ABATE , FORR-MO and MOCOC & I continue to fight “ NO COLORS ” policies .
IOWA No significant issues are being addressed in the 2017 Session , with ABATE continuing to foster a strong working relationship with state legislators . ABATE of Iowa continues to visit Washington , DC , particularly focusing on eliminating the possibility of Federal funding for Motorcycle-Only Checkpoints , and now , Motorcyclist Profiling . Iowans participated in the MRF Bikers on the Beltway trip , which took place in May , 2017 . ABATE of Iowa is still working with Iowa DOT as part of its ongoing role-model “ Share the Road ” program . Check out their website at : www . abateiowa . org ABATE of Iowa ’ s 2017 Freedom Rally was held June 30-July 4 in Algona , with ABATE hosting one of the largest Nationwide rally turnouts ever , and their Iowa S . T . E . A . M . is presently being held November , 2017 in Marshalltown . A large number of Iowa Bikers continue to network with their legislators , and are keeping vigilant .
TEXAS The Biker Community demands Justice regarding the horrific May , 2015 Waco Incident , where 9 were killed , with many arrested . Hundreds of indictments are pending relative to organized criminal activity . A number of non-indicted riders are suing . Civil Rights Lawsuits regarding this event ( i . e . false arrests ) have been filed by the May 17 deadline , and the first cases have come to trial this fall . NCOM continues to investigate in conjunction with TXCOC & I , which is publishing updates on Social Media . Go to www . txcocinews . com Texas ’ Legislative Session two-year progress includes passing SB754 , the Motorcycle Safety Fund Bill Implementation . Twenty percent of renewal fees go to Motorcycle Safety / Share the Road Programs . Unfortunately , the Motorcycle Safety Funds for FY 2019 was vetoed by Governor Abbott on Nov . 2 . ABATE is attempting to get this corrected . SB449 also passed , classifying “ Autocycles ” as Motorcycles for registration purposes . This will continue to be a thorny issue . Texas ABATE ’ s Goals for 2018 highlight : Addressing Motorcycle Profiling and educating riders of their rights ; proactively emphasizing federal noise ordinance attention ; repealing the Autocycle Registration Law and redefining Autocycle Classification ; and authoring new legislation dealing with malfunctioning Red Lights and “ Lane Splitting ”. Check out www . texasabate . com for further updates . TXCOC & I , NCOM Christian Unity Texas , and the Texas ABATE Confederation are reaching out to help victims of this year ’ s disastrous Hurri-