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February Legislative Report

The Legislative and Leadership Seminar is now history. I would like to thank all the chapter members who were present.

Ten members from Liberty Riders Chapter participated in the seminar. As usual the seminar was a wealth of information.

For as many years as I have gone to the seminar I always learn something new. This year was no exception. Besides being

educational and entertaining it is always a time of camaraderie with your fellow bikers, seeing old friends and meeting new friends.

This year I felt especially honored and humbled as I was the recipient of the ' Freedom Fighter" award. I would thank the

state organization for even considering me for this award. Now on to business.

Special Guest Speaker for our March Meeting - Stephan Black who is running in the Republican primary for the 37th house district

seat that is being vacated by retiring Representative Tom Creighton.

State issues

January 18th, 2012

HB 254

HOUSE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE GIVES GREEN LIGHT TO GROVE MOTORCYCLE SAFETY LEGISLATION

HARRISBURG -- The House Transportation Committee today approved legislation authored by Rep. Seth Grove (R-Dover) that would require young drivers seeking a Class M (motorcycle) junior driver's license to complete a PennDOT-approved motorcycle safety course.
"Learning to ride a motorcycle is different from learning to drive a car because there is no opportunity for an experienced passenger to assist in the on-the-road teaching process," said Grove. "Motorcyclists must be extra vigilant because many accidents are caused by other drivers who do not see the motorcycle or heed the right of way. The goal of my legislation is to cut down on the number of motorcycle crashes and deaths we see every year."
As of 2010, more than 800,000 Pennsylvania residents held a Class M license. From 2001 to 2008, the number of students trained in PennDOT's free Motorcycle Safety Program significantly increased, but the program saw a decline in participation in 2009 and again in 2010. Nearly 4,000 motorcycle accident injuries were sustained in Pennsylvania in 2010, and 223 motorcycle crash deaths occurred that year.
"Operating a motorcycle is inherently different than driving a car because you have to be prepared for every curve, dip and bend in the road. Even a patch of gravel can take you down, without the protection of metal, plastic and airbags found on other vehicles," said Grove. "This legislation is about training young motorcyclists for the joy and the responsibility of the open road. An individual not taking the free safety course could end up paying with his or her life."
Grove noted that registration for the 2012 Motorcycle Safety Program will begin at the end of February. Those interested in participating can learn more at www.pamsp.com.

Federal Issues

February 2nd, 2012

US House Committee Targets Federal Funding of Motorcycle Only Roadside Checkpoints The Motorcycle Riders Foundation reports that Wednesday, February 1st, the United States House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure rolled out the latest version of the highway bill. The bill is the long term funding bill for road construction and highway programs.This version of the bill takes aim at a controversial practice of the Department of Transportation which funded motorcycle-only roadside checkpoints with taxpayer dollars. The checkpoints have drawn much criticism from the motorcycle community at large. So much so, that longtime motorcycle champion Representative James Sensenbrenner (R-WI) had introduced legislation to end the program by prohibiting any future Federal funding of any motorcycle-only roadside checkpoints. That bill is HR 904. The mammoth highway bill includes the same language as contained in HR 904. Representative Sensenbrenner had this to say, "We need to focus on proven methods of motorcycle safety, including crash prevention, rider education, and training and proper licensing. Motorcycle-only checkpoints are an intrusive governmental overreach that place an undue burden on riders while doing little to actually improve safety," He added, "It is encouraging to see that the transportation reauthorization bill will encourage more efficient use of taxpayer dollars and smart motorcycle safety policy." Representative Tom Petri (R-WI), a staunch defender of the motorcyclists, had this comment on the issue, �Motorcycle riders are right to be outraged at being singled out for safety inspections," Petri said. "Nobody is suggesting flagging cars down for unscheduled inspections, and there's no good reason why motorcycles should be treated differently. It's unnecessarily intrusive, and not a smart way to use limited police resources."

February 3rd, 2012 Alert, Alert, Alert

On February 3rd, The following alert was sent out to all Liberty Riders members who are on our Alert list. I contacted Congressman Joe Pitts about this issue. Again I got a noncommittal reply from our Congressman. Actually his reply suggested he might be in favor of E15 to reduce our dependence on foreign oil.

House Committee action on bill to require EPA to seek independent scientific analysis on the effects of 15 percent ethanol

Urge your Representative to support today!

On February 7, 2012, the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology will vote on H.R. 3199, introduced by Representative Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI) on October 14, 2011. This bill would require the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to seek independent scientific analysis on the effects of 15 percent ethanol blend (E15) gasoline."The EPA's decision to allow E15 into the marketplace will impact every American who owns a car, lawnmower or boat," Sensenbrenner said. Automakers insist that using E15 will void warranties, lower fuel efficiency and cause premature engine failure. In off-road engines, the effects can even be dangerous for users."There are serious concerns that the EPA used only one Department of Energy test and rushed E15's introduction into the marketplace," Sensenbrenner said. "This test was limited in scope and ignored a plethora of evidence � albeit inconvenient evidence for the EPA � that shows E15 gasoline has a negative effect on engines."The new E15 gasoline formulation may appear at a fueling station near you and you need to be careful where you use this new fuel blend. That is because the EPA, in October 2010, approved E15 for use in model year 2007 and newer light duty vehicles (cars, light-duty trucks, and medium-duty passenger vehicles). In January 2011, it added model year 2001-2006 light duty vehicles to the approved list.Riders should pay attention to this list because no motorcycles or ATVs are currently listed.The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is concerned about E15 because it burns hotter than gasoline that contains a lesser amount of ethanol. In engines not designed to dissipate that extra heat, damage in the form of premature wear can result. Although this is a concern in all motorcycles, it's particularly problematic for air-cooled engines found in many bikes. Moreover, use of E15 may even void the manufacturer warranty.

Since the approved list includes many light-duty vehicles in use today, refineries, distributors, and fueling stations may choose to offer primarily E15 gasoline because of this action by the EPA. This should concern all motorcyclists and off-highway enthusiasts since this may affect the availability of gasoline with less or no ethanol (E10 or E0).

We need your help to pass H.R. 3199. You can find contact information for your Representative at AmericanMotorcyclist.com > Rights > Issues & Legislation, then enter your zip code in the "Find your Officials" box. A prewritten e-mail is available for you to send to your federal elected official immediately by following the "Take Action" option and entering your information.

February 7th,2012

EPA to seek independent scientific analysis on the effects of 15 percent ethanol
Urge your Representative to support today!

On February 7, 2012, the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology reported H.R. 3199 favorably, as amended, with a vote of 19 - 7. The bill, introduced by Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI), would require the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to seek independent scientific analysis on the effects of 15 percent ethanol blend (E15) gasoline.

The bill now heads for consideration on the House floor. No date has been scheduled.

John Meredith

LC Liberty Riders Chapter