A Beverly Hills, California state senator has introduced legislation that would require motorcycles to participate in the state’s vehicle “smog check” program. The program was designed to service cars and because of that motorcycles were exempt “until the Department of Consumer Affairs implements test procedures applicable to motorcycles” according to standing state California state law. Senator Fran Pavely (D) is the main sponsor of the bill which would require all motorcycles beginning with model year 2000 to be tested starting in 2012.

This bill is problematic for a number of reasons. First off, it provides for no funding for the development of testing procedures. Secondly, no funding for the accommodation of the new 1.2 million motorcycles at the check stations. This will result in a financial burden for the California government at a time when every penny is already spoken for.

In the MRF’s view, the California state legislature should reconsider this motion. When the funding is available, it would then seem more feasible to invest in proper investigatory programs to best determine how to test motorcycles or if it is even necessary.

Read the bill here:
http://info.sen.ca.gov/pub/09-10/bill/sen/sb_0401-0450/sb_435_bill_20090226_introduced.html

President Obama Announces DOT Official.

Barack Obama has announced that he plans to nominate Roy Kienitz for Under Secretary of Transportation for Policy, Department of Transportation

BIO
Roy Kienitz is currently the Deputy Chief of Staff for Governor Rendell. Roy has been a leader on Gov. Rendell’s staff for Transportation, Alternative Energy, and Environment initiatives since 2003. Prior to his time in Pennsylvania, Kienitz served as Secretary of the Maryland Department of Planning. Kienitz has also served as the Executive Director to the Surface Transportation Policy Project where he was a strong advocate for innovation in transportation policy.

Kienitz’s prior experience also includes working for Former Senator Moynihan as Chief of Staff and the U.S. Senate Environment & Public Works Committee.

Originally from California, Kienitz earned his bachelor’s degree in Aquatic Biology from the University of California in 1983.

Upon close examination of Kienitz some conflicting ideologies emerge. Kienitz worked for Senator Daniel Monyihan in the late eighties and early nineties as the chief of staff for the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. That committee, at that time, was responsible for writing the surface transportation authorization bill (ISTEA) that included the penalties on states that did not have mandatory helmet laws. Kienitz was instrumental at the senior staff level in putting those penalties in
place.

However, Kienitz’s most recent post with Governor Rendell puts him in place at the same time ABATE of PA was modifying the state helmet law. ABATE of PA has never heard from him or anything that he did to stop the new law from going into effect.

Which Kienitz will end up in DC to report to DOT Secretary LaHood? That remains to be seen.

==========================================================
Ride With The LeadersTM by joining the MRF at http://www.mrf.org/join.php or call 1-202-546-0983

Sign up today for the MRF’s new roadside assistance program by visiting
http://www.mrf.org/mrfroadside.php The program is available to MRF members and non-MRF members.

(c)All Information contained in this release is copyrighted. Reproduction permitted with attribution. The Motorcycle Riders Foundation, incorporated in 1987, is a membership-based, national motorcyclists’ rights organization headquartered in Washington, DC. The first motorcyclists’ rights organization to establish a full-time presence in Washington, DC, the Motorcycle Riders Foundation is the only Washington voice devoted exclusively to the street rider. The MRF established MRFPAC in the early
1990s to advocate the election of candidates who would champion the cause of rider safety and rider freedom.

The MRF proudly claims state motorcyclists’ rights organizations and the very founders of the American riders’ rights movement among its leading members. The MRF is involved in federal and state legislation and regulations, motorcycling safety education, training, and public awareness. The MRF provides members and state motorcyclists’ rights organizations with direction and information, and sponsors annual regional and national educational seminars for motorcyclists rights activists, as
well as publishing a bi-monthly newsletter, THE MRF REPORTS.

The pundits calling the election had predicted that the black vote and the youth vote would put Obama over the top. That didn’t happen. Nationally, black turnout increased from 11% to 13%, and the 18 to 29-year-old vote increased from 17% to 18% compared to 2004. Rather it was the increased margins toward the Democrat candidate of those two voter categories that tilted Obama to victory.

One demographic that swung dramatically was the wealthy vote. In 2004, voters earning more than $200,000 voted 63% to 35% for Bush, according to CNN. This year, they voted 52% to 46% for Obama–a far higher margin than Obama enjoyed among the middle class.

Obama did greatly exceed expectations with his large Electoral College win. Capturing historically Republican Ohio, Florida, and North Carolina is a tremendous victory for the Democratic nominee.

Democrats made big gains, however, Republicans have fought off the threat of a 60-seat, filibuster-proof majority, for now. With the election of two sitting senators to executive office that leaves two Senate seats that will need to be filled, not to mention the unresolved senate contests
sitting out there that will likely take months to decide. Should the Democrats win 60 Senate seats they would have a super majority and the ability to pass any legislation they please with no procedural opposition from the minority party.

As for Motorcyclists, it was a decent election. All of our current bill sponsors and caucus leaders were re-elected and nearly all of our supporters were re-elected. In Michigan, we saw Knollenberg (R-MI) and Tim Walberg (R-MI) lose and in upstate New York we lost Randy Kuhl (R-NY). They will be missed and we wish them well.

We don’t have a lot of history on Obama but during his time in the US Senate he did vote against an amendment in 2005 that would have reinstated the national universal mandatory helmet law and he also had a favorable rapport with ABATE of IL when he served in the IL State Senate from 1997-2004.

Many of the newly elected members of the House and Senate have a good relationship with the motorcyclists of the state that sent them to the National stage. We at the Motorcycle Riders Foundation look forward to working with the new Congress and President to preserve motorcycling
freedoms and the expansion of motorcycle safety and awareness.

==========================================================
Ride With The LeadersTM by joining the MRF at http://www.mrf.org/join.php or call 1-202-546-0983

(c)All Information contained in this release is copyrighted. Reproduction permitted with attribution. The Motorcycle Riders Foundation, incorporated in 1987, is a membership-based, national motorcyclists’ rights organization headquartered in Washington, DC. The first motorcyclists’ rights organization to establish a full-time presence in Washington, DC, the Motorcycle Riders Foundation is the only Washington voice devoted exclusively to the street rider. The MRF established MRFPAC in the early 1990s to advocate the election of candidates who would champion the cause of rider safety and rider freedom.

The MRF proudly claims state motorcyclists’ rights organizations and the very founders of the American riders’ rights movement among its leading members. The MRF is involved in federal and state legislation and regulations, motorcycling safety education, training, and public awareness. The MRF provides members and state motorcyclists’ rights organizations with direction and information, and sponsors annual regional and national educational seminars for motorcyclists rights activists, as well as publishing a bi-monthly newsletter, THE MRF REPORTS.

With the national parties’ conventions behind us, we no longer have “presumptive” presidential nominees. Senators McCain and Obama are now the standard bearers of their parties. As the summer begins to fade, the campaign for the highest office in the land kicks into high gear.

It’s hardly a surprise that the Motorcycle Riders Foundation should be asked our opinion of the two men seeking the presidency. It should also not come as a shock that the high-spirited men and women who form the framework of this nationwide organization may express opinions on the candidates.

The framework being referenced here is the MRF state representatives program. It is worth noting that the MRF “Reps” are elected by their own state motorcyclists’ rights organizations. They promote the MRF within their states as they see fit. They are free to express their opinions on motorcycling and or the issues of the day without impediment from the national leadership of the MRF. We don’t believe that our volunteers should be censored. It should also be noted that those opinions are just that – opinions – not the official policy of the Motorcycle Riders Foundation.

Any statement of policy from us will come from the Washington, D.C. office in the form of a Leaders Report, or a press release. Any endorsement of a candidate for federal office, or communication expressly advocating the election or defeat of such a candidate would come from our affiliated MRFPAC.

While the MRF (or to be specific MRFPAC) has no plans on taking a position on the presidential race, we have been in contact with the national leadership of the two major parties. It is our desire to convey the feelings of our members and supporting organizations to the candidates. We are particularly interested as to who will be appointed secretary of transportation in the next administration.

The MRF has established a good relationship with the Republican National Committee. We have been in contact with Senator McCain’s campaign staff and have begun a dialog with them.

Regrettably, despite many attempts by us, our efforts to meet and establish a relationship with the Democratic National Committee have not been successful. We have shifted gears and have been in touch with several influential Democratic operatives. Hopefully, they can help us set-up a meeting with Senator Obama’s campaign staff in Chicago. We would like to meet with senior strategist David Axelrod. We will issue a statement should that take place.

The Motorcycle Riders Foundation is and will remain a non-partisan organization. We are committed to advancing our legislative agenda that was formulated in concert with our State Motorcyclists’ Rights Organization partners. Every day we will be working both sides of the isle
in our nation’s capitol to keep motorcycling on the radar screen of the 535 members of the United States Congress.

Michael Kerr
MRF Vice President

==========================================================

Ride With The LeadersTM by joining the MRF at http://www.mrf.org/join.php or call 1-202-546-0983

Registration is easy and secure for MRF Regional and Meeting of the Minds conferences. Visit our website at http://www.mrf.org/events.php for further details and registration information.

Send in your nominations and donations for the MRF’s Young Activist Scholarship fund today. For complete details, visit http://www.mrf.org/yascholarship.php.

Sign up today for the MRF’s new roadside assistance program by visiting http://www.mrf.org/mrfroadside.php The program is available to MRF members and non-MRF members.

(c)All Information contained in this release is copyrighted. Reproduction permitted with attribution. The Motorcycle Riders Foundation, incorporated in 1987, is a membership-based, national motorcyclists’ rights organization headquartered in Washington, DC. The first motorcyclists’ rights organization to establish a full-time presence in Washington, DC,
the Motorcycle Riders Foundation is the only Washington voice devoted exclusively to the street rider. The MRF established MRFPAC in the early 1990s to advocate the election of candidates who would champion the cause of rider safety and rider freedom.

The MRF proudly claims state motorcyclists’ rights organizations and the very founders of the American riders’ rights movement among its leading members. The MRF is involved in federal and state legislation and regulations, motorcycling safety education, training, and public
awareness. The MRF provides members and state motorcyclists’ rights organizations with direction and information, and sponsors annual regional and national educational seminars for motorcyclists rights activists, as well as publishing a bi-monthly newsletter, THE MRF REPORTS.

John McCain’s recent appearance in South Dakota at the Sturgis Rally, America’s largest motorcycle convention, was by most accounts a roaring success. But Barack Obama’s campaign isn’t going to give up the biker vote without a fight.

Read the Full Story here…