Action Alert!

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:

William Delgado (D-2^nd)(Chairman) (773) 292-0202

Mattie Hunter (D-3^rd)(Vice-Chairperson) (312) 949-1908

Susan Garrett (D-29^th) (847) 433-2002

Michael Noland (D-22^nd) (847) 214-8864

Jeffrey M. Schoenberg (D-9^th) (847) 492-1200

Heather Steans (D-7^th) (773) 769-1717

Dave Syverson (R-34^th) (Minority Spokesperson) (815) 987-7555

Dan Cronin (R-21^st) (630) 792-0040

Chris Lauzen (R-25^th) (630) 264-2334

Carole Pankau (R-23^rd) (630) 582-0390

A.B.A.T.E. members living in the 2^nd, 3^rd, 7^th, 9^th, 21^st, 22^nd, 23^rd, 25^th, 29^th, or 34^th 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 SB2627was 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 27^th, 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 27^th. 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"