December 2011

    It’s the end of the year already. The craziness of the holiday season is here. That also means that a new year is right around the corner. The pressure is on the legislators to make some good things happen, in order for them to be re-elected. Let’s make sure they know about the issues we are interested in.
    Currently I am working with legislators for both the ROW bill and the handlebar bill. I recently had a meeting with Imre Szauter (AMA), Sen. Shaffer, and Rep. Uecker’s aid. The Ohio ROW Working Group came up with a rough draft to an amendment to S.B. 92. The amendment is a result of a meeting with interested parties of the bill. John Murphy of the Prosecuting Attorney’s Association said that the association had gone neutral on the bill, but he felt the bill would be easier to pass if the bill included increases in penalties for more similar crimes. The amendment changes the introduction of the section of the Ohio Revised Code that the infractions that are covered under the right of way bill, which is section 4511. The amendment changes the penalties for all traffic minor misdemeanors included in section 4511 that result in serious injury or death. The result of the meeting was that Sen. Shaffer is going to take the amendment to the Ohio Judicial Conference to see how the wording needs to read regarding points. The amendment currently has a set amount of points added on a driver’s license if convicted. We believe the OJC may only stay neutral on the bill if judges have discretion on how many points should be given.
    I also had a meeting with Rep. Rosenberger regarding the handlebar bill. I reported to him a problem with H.B. 316. The bill requires that the driver of a motorcycle to be able from a sitting position turn the front wheel 45 degrees in either direction, to prove they have sufficient control over the motorcycle. After verifying with a service manager that had worked with several sports bikes over several years, I informed Rep. Rosenberger that this test would not work for many models of sport bikes. Many sports bikes have factory stops that will not permit them to turn more than 22.5 degree in either direction. The decision was made to make an amendment to the bill. I brought up several different options. Rep. Rosenberger is reviewing the research that I gave him and will meet with co-sponsors to determine what they would prefer to do.
    I hope everyone has great holidays. Remember to email any questions, problems, suggestions to me at legislativedirector@abate.com.
    Regards,
   Scott “Woody” Wood
   Government Relations Director

November 2011

    We have a bill number for our handlebar bill. The bill number is 316. This bill changes the height restriction on handlebars. Currently the Ohio Revised Code allows handlebars to be no more than 15 inches from the bottom of the saddle to the hand grips. Bill 316 removes inch requirements and allows all handlebars as long as the motorcycle can be operated safely. Rep. Rosenberger and Rep. Landis are sponsors for the bill.
    At the request of the co-sponsors, a phrase was added to the bill that requires the rider, from a sitting position, to turn the front wheel 45 degrees and keep both hands on the grips. This phrase is a problem for some makes of sport bikes. Some sport bikes have stops that will not permit the handlebars to be turned this sharply. I am working to resolve this issue without complicating the wording of the bill.
    Representative Joe Uecker (R-Clermont County) has agreed to sponsor the Right of Way Bill in Ohio’s House of Representatives. He will be working with Senator Schaffer to get a similar bill to S.B. 92.
    I was among 21 representatives from ABATE of Ohio, Inc. at MRF’s Meeting Of The Minds. Other than the socialization, for me the most important part of MOTM is the Legislative Strategy session. I attended this session with Jim Elgin, Ed Schetter, and David Lawson, from ABATE of Ohio, Inc. In one hour and a half we discuss all motorcycle related issues at the federal level. After the discussion we voted on the issues we would like the MRF to represent us on in Washington DC. I have four pages of notes from this session. I am not going to go into all of the issues at this point.
    I would like to discuss two issues. The first being noise. We voted to oppose federal legislation that may require roadside testing of decibel levels with SAE’s device. Discussion on this issue was that it was impossible to do an accurate scientific test in the environment of a roadside. Other discussion was that this was discriminatory to motorcycles. Other vehicles cause as much noise but checking their decibel limit is not being suggested. Also related to noise is California’s requirement of an EPA stamp on the exhaust. We voted to oppose any attempts to make a similar law a federal law. This is an issue that should be left at the state level. We also voted to oppose any attempt made by a federal agency to blackmail states into passing related legislation. There is related legislation already in place. House Resolution 239 prevents agencies from lobbying states. Write your congress person in Washington D.C. and ask them to support this resolution.
    The other issue I would like to discuss this month is motorcycle only roadside stops. We have all heard the stories of what has happened in New York and Georgia. At this point, Ohio’s Department of Public Safety and Department of Transportation have no intention of accepting federal funds to conduct motorcycle only roadside stops. I would like to see legislation supporting this. We should do this now while these government agencies are in agreement with us. There is related legislation on the federal level. H.R. 904 prohibits federal funding for motorcycle only roadside stops. Please write your congress person in Washington DC and ask them to support H.R. 904.
    My email address is LegislativeDirector@abate.com. Feel free to email thoughts or questions on legislative issues.

    Scott “Woody” Wood
    ABATE of Ohio, Inc.
    Government Relations Director

October 2011

    At the time this article is being written, I am hoping for legislative progress for issues that ABATE of Ohio, Inc. has been supporting in the near future. Our government officials have been on break and will be returning to office next week.
    Over the past month, Jim Elgin and I represented ABATE at a meeting for interested parties of our Right Of Way bill. This meeting was organized by Sen. Tim Schaffer, sponsor of the bill.
    Also in attendance were representatives from Ohio State Highway Patrol, Prosecuting Attorney Association, Sen. Tom Patton (Chairman of the Senate Highway and Transportation Committee), LSC, and Imre Szauter of AMA. Sen. Schaffer announced that Ohio Judicial Conference had been invited, but had turned down the invitation because the OJC has decided to take a neutral stance on the bill and no longer had an interest in the bill. John Murphy, Prosecuting Attorney Association, stated that they also were neutral on the bill. Mr. Murphy feels that bill would be easier to pass if more traffic related misdemeanors also had an increase in penalty. At this point, the Ohio Right of Way Working Group is considering Mr. Murphy’s suggestion. At this point, all organizations that previously have objected to this bill have gone neutral on the bill. I have an appointment later this month with a State Representative to get the ball rolling in the House. In answer to Ed Schetter’s monthly question in his Outspokin’ article, yes. This may be the year.
    I got a phone call on our handlebar bill. Co-sponsors to the bill want to make some changes to the bill. Ohio law has a maximum height of 15 inches from the lowest part of the saddle to the handlebars. The bill we initiated does not have a height measured in inches, and only requires that the motorcycle is able to be rode safely. The co-sponsor’s idea is to add verbiage that requires the operator of a motorcycle to be able to turn the front tire to a minimum 45 degree angle. We are currently waiting on the changes to be written by LSC before we approve the changes to be introduced with the bill.
    Michigan is still waiting on Governor Snyder to sign their helmet bill. If you haven’t sent a letter or a postcard, please take the time to do it.
    MRF’s Meeting of the Minds is coming up on 9/22 in Romulus, MI. Be sure to read my article next month. I should have some good info from this meeting.

    Regards,
    Scott “Woody” Wood
    ABATE of Ohio, Inc.
    State Government Relations Director
    legislativedirector@abate.com

September 2011

    Ever been to Michigan? There are some great vacation spots, especially on the west coast of Michigan. My favorite is Crystal Lake. The problem with vacationing in Michigan for me is that dog gone helmet law. They have a bill right now that gives adults the right to choose whether or not they want to wear helmets. This bill is S.B. 291. The bill has been passed by both House and Senate and is only waiting on Gov. Rick Snyder’s signature to become law. ABATE of Michigan has put out a call to action asking people to let Gov. Snyder know they support the bill. Input from outside of their state would help a lot. That input from other states is seen as potential money coming into the state from tourists.

    Not only has ABATE of Michigan put out a call to action, the MRF, KMA/KBA, and the C.O.I.R. branch of the Ohio Defender’s has put out calls to action on this issues. On our website, abate.com, there is a link and instructions to write Gov. Snyder. The letter can be short and simple and still be effective. See sample below:

Gov. Snyder,     Senate Bill 291 has been passed by Michigan’s House and Senate. This bill is waiting on your signature to become law. This bill gives adults the right to choose to wear or not wear a helmet in Michigan. I support this bill and ask that you sign it into law. Regards, (Your Name) (Your Address)

    The mailing address is: Governor Rick Snyder, State Capital, P.O. Box 30013, Lansing, Michigan, 48909.
    The email address is Rick.Snyder@Michigan.gov.
    The phone is 517-373-3400.
Our neighbors need our help. Let’s give them a hand !!!

    Back in Ohio, S.B. 92 (ROW bill) is still rolling. There is a meeting being scheduled for later this month with interested parties of the bill. Hopefully we can iron some things out before the next committee hearing. I need some help with influencing the committee on this bill. I am working on an organized plan to divide the state among committee members. I am waiting right now due to the fact that one of the committee members has stepped down from the senate to take one of the governor’s cabinet positions. Her position on the committee has not been decided yet. Below is a listing of Highway and Transportation Committee members and info. If your senator is not on the list, pick the one that is in your ABATE Region or closest one to it, and email them.

    Senate Highway and Transportation Committee:

    Any questions, comments, suggestions please feel free to email me at legislativedirector@abate.com.
        Regards
        Scott “Woody” Wood
        Government Relations Director

August 2011

    The ROW bill is moving! We were surprised to learn that S.B. 92 was going to have Sponsor Testimony. We had anticipated the bill not moving while the Ohio Judicial Commission objected to the bill, which is what we were told last year by the Chairman of Judiciary Criminal Justice Committee. We were also surprised to learn that the bill has been assigned to a different committee. It has been assigned to Highways and Transportation Committee.

    Sponsor Testimony was given on June 22, 2011 by Sen. Tim Schaffer. His testimony was centered around safety related points. To paraphrase, what may be a small fender bender of little consequence to a four wheeled vehicle could be a tragedy of serious physical harm, or fatality to someone on a motorcycle.

    The committee had two questions for Sen. Shaffer. Sen. Tom Patton asked if law enforcement was objecting to the bill. To the best of our knowledge, and to Sen. Shaffer’s knowledge, law enforcement has not objected to the bill since it was rewritten a couple of years ago, changing the word “shall” to “may”, relieving the responsibility of making an immediate decision at the scene of the accident regarding the seriousness of the injury. We are unaware of any current objections from law enforcement to the bill. Sen. Peggy Lehner had the second question. She was under the impression that any crashes involving a death was automatically Involuntary Manslaughter. This question was quickly dismissed by fellow committee member Sen. Bill Coley, who had previously been an attorney, that this was definitely not the case.

    Our next step is to meet with representatives of all interested parties since the bill was initially introduced. Sen. Shaffer is arranging a meeting with the Ohio Right of Way Working Group, the Prosecuting Attorney Association, Ohio State Highway Patrol, and the Ohio Judicial Commission. We would like to be able to work out any differences that we can, prior to additional committee hearings. We will also be discussing introducing the bill to the House of Representatives.

    In the meantime, we could use some help in swaying the Highways and Transportation Committee. As members of this committee, they are acting on behalf on the entire state. Constituency is not mandatory for hearing your opinion. You can write a letter to a legislator, even though you may not live in their district. We need to get this through committee prior to concentrating on the General Assembly.

    The committee members are Tom Patton (Chair), Frank LaRose (Vice Chair), Jason Wilson (Ranking Minority Member), Bill Coley, Karen Gilmore, Kris Jordan, Peggy Lehner, Joe Schiavoni, Nina Turner. These are the Senators we need to sway at this point. Send them an email or a hard copy. We need to communicate with these Senators to let them know that we support S.B. 92. They need to know that we are out there.

    In your letter state the bill number (S.B. 92). Tell them that you are a registered voter. Tell them why you support the bill (i.e. it will improve the overall safety of the highways in Ohio). Ask them to support the bill. Remember, as a general rule, polite letters are generally more effective.

    As far as other issues, no progress this month on handlebars or Purple Heart License Plates. I’m still working on them.

    Any questions my email address is legislativedirector@abate.com.

        Regards
        Scott “Woody” Wood
        Government Relations Director

July 2011

    This month I am continuing work on the same legislation I have been working on. Rep. Rosenberger has received a bill back from LSC (the bill writing service used by our legislators) that will change the maximum height of motorcycle handlebars in Ohio law. Currently the law indicates no more than 15” from the bottom of the saddle. The new bill allows all handlebars “permitted that the motorcycle can be operated safely”. Rep. Rosenberger got the okay from ABATE of Ohio and proceeded by sending a letter to other Representatives looking for cosponsors. After the cutoff date for cosponsors the bill will be introduced to Congress where it will be assigned a bill number and most likely will be assigned to the Transportation Committee. I will let you know when I get a bill number. The quickest way to communicate this will be by Facebook. Keep checking ABATE of Ohio’s wall on Facebook for updates.

    On S.B. 92 (ROW bill), the sponsor, Sen. Tim Schaeffer, has received a letter from the Ohio Judicial Commission objecting to the bill. This means that the bill will not be introduced until the OJC withdraws their objection and either supports, or goes neutral on the bill. The Ohio Right of Way Working Group is working on resolving the differences, if that can be done without giving up on the integrity of the bill.

    On the Purple Heart MC license plate law, I did manage to get a response back from the OBMV this month. They indicated that there are financial issues with beginning the manufacture. ABATE of Ohio has offered to assist. We are still waiting on a response to this offer.

    On the federal level the lead law that currently bans youth ATV’s is being discussed in Washington. An amendment is being discussed which is titled “Kids Just Want To Ride” which would exclude youth ATV’s from the Consumer Protection Security Act. Contact your Representative to support this bill.

    I would like to remind everyone that my email address is legislativedirector@abate.com. Feel free to contact me on any feedback or on ideas for legislation that ABATE of Ohio should be involved in.

        Until next month.
        Ride legal.
        Woody
        Gov’t Relations Director

May 2011

    Have you ever had the feeling that ABATE of Ohio is not making the legislative progress that it should be making? To be quite honest, I have. I am working to change that. I invite everyone to assist in any manner you can. Update people who may have lost faith or interest in the organization. Let them know that the effort is being made.

    ABATE is a State’s Motorcycle Rights Organization. Our first priority is legislation at the state level. Currently we are actively pursuing legislation on a bill increasing the penalties for Right of Way Infractions, parking motorcycles back side first into angled parking spaces, changing the minimum height restriction on handlebars, with plans on introducing legislation on some other issues.

    The Right of Way Working Group has been working together to try to pass legislation for several years. Progress of the bill was stopped during the previous congressional session by a letter sent by the Ohio Judicial Conference objecting to the bill. We made contact with the OJC and received correspondence explaining their objections to the bill. During the change over of sessions, we lost our contact in the OJC. He took a job with the Department of Agriculture. We have made a new contact and we are working on setting a meeting up in the next couple of weeks, in person, with our new contact. Senator Schaffer has reintroduced the Right of Way bill as S.B. 92.

    Last session there was a bill introduced that made it legal to back a motorcycle into an angled parking space. This bill passed through the House in the last session and introduced to the Senate. The Senate introduced the bill and added amendments onto it. The bill was defeated due to objections to the amendments. This session it has been included as part of the Transportation Budget. As of March 30, 2011, it has passed through both the House and Senate and is on Gov. Kasich’s desk waiting only his signature.

    Jim Elgin, Denny Wichert, and I spent a day at Congress’s office building in Columbus. We met with Rep. Rosenberger and discussed legislation on changing restrictions on motorcycle handlebar height, which is 15 inches from the saddle in Ohio. We agreed on legislation identical to Pennsylvania’s law which legalizes all handlebar heights as long as the motorcycle can be operated safely. Rep. Rosenberger committed to turning the idea into the Legislative Writing service. After the bill is written, I will receive a copy for approval before it is introduced.

    Jim, Denny, and I also discussed the Purple Heart license plate legislation that was passed and signed into law by Gov. Strickland. The manufacture of this plate is being stalled by OBMV. A resolution of their objection was made by Ken Howell at a meeting at the ODPS. Additional follow up is being discussed. We have no intention of letting this issue drop until the plates are available.

    What can you do to assist in these efforts? One thing is come to ABATE’s Motorcycle Awareness Rally on Saturday, April 30. Parade registration is 9:30-11:00 at A.D. Farrow Harley Davidson . There is no reason we should not have over 2000 bikes in this parade. Everyone should be there.

    On the federal level we have several pressing issues as well. House Bill 904 prohibits funding for motorcycle checkpoints. Senate Amendment 264 exempts youth off-highway vehicles from the lead law that bans them. Under the “You Gotta be Kiddin Me” category, NHTSA has requested $7 million in their budget for the promotion of DOT compliant helmet use. In the day and age of the Tea Party and budget cuts, NHTSA is asking for $7 million dollars to produce commercials and advertisements selling the virtues of helmet use, when Roy LaHood , Sec of the DOT, has made in crystal clear that this is a State Issue.

    Want to do something about the federal issues? There’s a ride for that also. The MRF sponsors “Bikers Inside The Beltway National Lobby Day” on Thursday May 12, 2011 in Washington D.C. You can join together with other bikers from around to discuss motorcycle related issues with our government officials in Washington. I won’t be able to attend due to the fact that I will be representing Ohio on the board at NCOM’s national convention. I wish I could be at 2 places at the same time. Anyone who could make it to the Biker’s Inside The Beltway, please consider going. Ohio needs to be represented.

    Ride Legal
    Woody
    Government Relations

    Senator Tim Schaeffer has introduced S.B. 92. This is our Right Of Way bill. This is the same bill as what was S.B. 65 in the previous session. Senator Schaeffer is the sponsor for the bill. We still need co-sponsors for the bill. Contact your senator and ask them to co-sponsor the bill.

    February 28 was a meeting of The Right Of Way Working Group. The final outcome of that meeting was that the group was going to meet in person with the Ohio Judicial Conference and the Prosecuting Attorney Association to discuss both groups opposition to the Right Of Way Bill. We want to meet with them in person to decide if there are any negotiations possible on their stances on the bill.

    On March2 I attended the spring meeting of Motorcycle Safety Rider Group meeting at the Ohio Department of Public Safety. A representative from BMV discussed a new system of mailing packets to military personnel for motorcycle endorsements. The Ohio Department of Transportation discussed motorcycle safety being incorporated in Driver’s Ed courses through the Share The Road program.

    Legislative issues included the legal definition of a motorcycle. This will become a federal issue within the next couple of years and needs to be resolved. The meeting of The Right Of Way Working Group was discussed . The Purple Heart license plate is still not being made. The possibility of it being manufactured is being researched. Ken Howell came up with the idea of eliminating the first digit of the plate to make room for the insignia. We also discussed funding for motorcycle training and the importance of everyone watching the funds to make sure no attempts were made at raiding the fund.

    There was an announcement made that everyone needs to be made aware of. The BMV classifies motorcycles as seasonal vehicles. Seasonal vehicles are exempt from additional fees for late registration. Translation: If you are late renewing your tags on your motorcycle, the BMV should not charge you the $20 late fee that they charge for late car registration. If they try, explain to them that your motorcycle is exempt because it is a seasonal vehicle.

    ODOT reported that if a traffic signal is weight activated and does not work because of the weight of the motorcycle, this signal needs to be reported to ODOT. This was a process that was in place last year. The same phone number is to be used. This number can be found at www.abate.com. ODOT is working on motorcycle specific warning signs for hazardous pavement. They are also working with paint that is more reflective. ODOT is upgrading signage on rural curves that should make the roads safer for motorcycling.

    The “Ride Smart” campaign will have a kickoff on April 15 at the Ohio Department of Public Safety in Columbus. The campaign will focus on “The Right Gear” this year.

    Remember to watch those potholes this spring. Check that tire pressure.

    Ride Legal
    Woody
    State Legislative Director

    I am your new State Legislative Director. First off let me introduce myself. My name on my birth certificate is Scott Wood. Most people have been referring to me as Woody since I was in the sixth grade. I encourage everyone to call me Woody. It helps with some confusion at home on phone calls. My home county is Clinton, where I was born and raised on a farm. Later I graduated from the University of Cincinnati. I was a supervisor for Airborne Express/ABX Air for 19 years before DHL decided to downsize and move to Kentucky. I have served as Legislative Officer at the county level and at the region level.

    By this time of year I'm sure most are tired of hearing the holiday clichés. This is the beginning of a new legislative session. What we are about to have happen is unprecedented. We have more new members to our government than ever before in history because the American voter has mandated a change.

    I believe ABATE of Ohio also needs to look at some changes. We are losing members every year. We need to recharge the organization. Legislatively, a victory on the ROW bill would be a big shot in the arm. The ROW bill will continue to be my priority. I believe we have a good chance at it since we have learned that some of our opposition (Ohio Judicial Commission) is willing to meet with us and discuss their objections. We will learn more after the first of the year.

   This is the time of year when all the new legislators and government officials are moving into their new offices. We have lost several officials that were ABATE supporters. Those officials will be missed. We need to get out there and introduce ourselves to the new officials. We need some new friends to help us in our legislative endeavors. Write a letter to your new congressman introducing yourself and welcome them to the job. Let them know that you look forward to working with them in the future. If you have time, visit them in their office. Let's get to these new officials and introduce them to ABATE of Ohio, Inc.

    In conclusion, I look forward to my new position. I am very excited at the idea of accomplishing things and preserving the freedom of motorcycling in Ohio.