Helmets Anyone?
Today (2/10/10) both of Senator Donne Trotter’s mandatory helmet bills (SB2535 & SB2536) were assigned to Senate Public Health Committee. That was the same committee that passed Senator Trotter’s mandatory helmet bill last year. SB2535 would require all riders under 18 years of age to wear a federally approved helmet when operating or being a passenger on a motorcycle. SB2536 would require all riders, regardless of age, to wear a federally approved helmet.
Here are the state senators that sit on the Senate Public Health Committee:
Senate Public Health Committee
William Delgado (D-2nd)(Chairman) (773) 292-0202
Mattie Hunter (D-3rd)(Vice-Chairperson) (312) 949-1908
Susan Garrett (D-29th) (847) 433-2002
Michael Noland (D-22nd) (847) 214-8864
Jeffrey M. Schoenberg (D-9th) (847) 492-1200
Heather Steans (D-7th) (773) 769-1717
Dave Syverson (R-34th) (Minority Spokesperson) (815) 987-7555
Dan Cronin (R-21st) (630) 792-0040
Chris Lauzen (R-25th) (630) 264-2334
Carole Pankau (R-23rd) (630) 582-0390
A.B.A.T.E. members living in the 2nd, 3rd, 7th, 9th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 25th, 29th, or 34th Senatorial Districts – please contact your state senator now and urge them keep SB2535 and SB2536 from passing out of the Senate Public Health Committee. You can call them at their district offices listed above or by any other effective means. You may even want to send colored post cards (I recommend orange.) to them.
Another helmet bill:
Today, Senator Ira Silvertein’s SB2627 was also assigned to the Senate Public Health Committee. This bill applies to bicycle riders and passengers. SB2627 would require small passengers to be fastened into their seats and to wear helmets. A.B.A.T.E. opposes bicycle helmet bills because they interfere with parental care of children and because such legislation is a step toward requiring helmets on motorized bicycles (i.e., motorcycles) . Again, please contact the Senate Public Health Committee members listed above and urge them not to pass SB2627.
Legislative Agenda:
On February 27th, A.B.A.T.E. Board of Directors will be asked to approve the tentative legislative agenda that has been mailed twice to all chapters. I urge all Board reps to be ready to vote on the agenda on the 27th. If you need another copy, please let me know and I will e-mail it to you.
Legislative Day: 11 March 2010 in Springfield, IL – please be there if you can.
Thank you to the members that help me keep abreast of new bills and actions on bills. The General Assembly website has a tool that is supposed to monitor bills or areas of law; however, I just cannot get it to work. Until I do, I rely heavily on personally reviewing all the bills on our watch list but I especially count on members who advise me of things that are happening at the federal and state levels. Now, if only someone would show me how to work that @#%$! website….
George Tinkham
A.B.A.T.E. State Legislative Coordinator
"Helping Democracy Work"
Ride Free, Ride Often
Bill C.
"When the people fear the government you have tyranny ... when the government fears the people you have liberty." President Thomas Jefferson