South Carolina Motorcycle Rights Association

President Obama released his draft of the highway bill this week. What should have been big news was just a rehash of his hated highway bill from last year. The name did not even change, merely getting a "2.0" added. GROW AMERICA ACT 2.0 is expected to get the same chilly reception on Capitol Hill as "1.0" did last year.

The most troubling aspect of the bill is the provision that would "allow the Secretary or his designee to engage in activities with States and State legislators to consider proposals related to motorcycle helmet laws.”

This is a direct attack on the NHTSA lobby ban enacted in the late nineties. NHTSA was banned from lobbying state legislatures. This would undo the ban completely, allowing NHTSA to show up anytime, anywhere to argue for helmet laws. In my communications with NHTSA, I was told by a senior advisor to look from the perspective that "perhaps some of the proposals could be to relax helmet laws." I think we all know the likelihood of a NHTSA official showing up to testifying in favor of a proposal to allow for adult choice of helmet use. You know where would have to freeze solid first.

Another part of the proposed bill would send money to states to set up tiered or graduated licensing. I am not too worried about this draft. Congress has already turned its back on the legislation.

We also reintroduced the Senate black box privacy bill. S 766 would declare the vehicle owner as the owner of the information captured on an event data recorder (EDR) in their car or motorcycle, sponsored again by Senators John Hoeven (R-ND) and Amy Kloubchar (D-MN).  A House bill is coming soon.

Both the House and Senate are in recess this week so there are no hearings or legislative actions.