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karen · Easyrider Joined: 23 Jan 2009 Posts: 55

New York Freedom Riders New York Legislation and news -1/22/10

NEW YORK UPDATES:

Assembly Approves Sweeping Ethics And Campaign Finance Reform Legislation FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 20, 2010
Press release: http://assembly.state.ny.us/Press/20100120/
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Senate Passes Strongest Ethics Reform In A Generation
Posted by on Wednesday, January 20th, 2010
Press release: http://www.nysenate.gov/press-release/senate-passes-strongest-ethics-reform-generation

NOTE:
A.9544/ S 6457
Creates an executive ethics and compliance commission and the New York state commission on lobbying ethics and compliance; establishes the the legislative office of ethics investigation and joint legislative commission on ethics standards; relates to ethics reports financial disclosure of public officers; relates to a state board of elections enforcement unit and counsel; relates to personal use of campaign funds, filing requirements, political communication, independent expenditure reporting, enforcement proceedings, and penalties for violations.

A.9559/S 6439
Prohibits and criminalizes the use by certain public officers and employees of state property, services or resources for activities related to private business or to a political campaign.
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NEW FEATURE ON NY SENATE WEBSITE:

Open Legislation: http://www.nysenate.gov/legislation
You can search by keyword (such as "housing"), last name of the bill's sponsor (e.g.: "Jones"), committee name, or bill number preceded by an "s" for Senate or "a" for Assembly (e.g.: s100, a250). In addition, you can browse and search Floor Calendars, Active Lists, Committee Meetings (including attendance and voting records) and Session Transcripts.

NOTE: you can also comment/discuss a bill. Once you have located the bill, below the text, you will find where you can submit comments.

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UPDATES:

http://abatepa.org/Common_pages/News_Summaries.php?fn_mode=fullnews&fn_incl=1&fn_id=22

ABATE of PA:
Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Today, House Bill 2209 was introduced by Representative Seth Grove along with several co-sponsors that included fellow motorcyclists Dan Moul, Adam Harris and Curt Sonney. This bill has the support of ABATE of PA and we worked with Representative Grove on this issue.

The bill states "A motorcycle learners permit shall not be renewable after one year. A person may reapply for a motorcycle learners permit no more frequently than three times in a ten year period."

It also contains provisions for those under the age of 18 that they must meet before they can obtain a Class M license to operate a motorcycle. That includes completing the Department approved motorcycle safety course as a requirement for obtaining a Class M Junior drivers license.

The bill has been referred to the Committee on Transportation. It will be up to the Chairman Representative Joe Markosek as to when or if this bill will be brought before the committee for consideration.

ABATE has long been opposed to the practice of issuing unlimited permits to those who wish to ride motorcycles but who fail to ever take the test to obtain the Class M endorsement. Hopefully, this action will help to turn the tide of those who continue to ride without a permit or fail to get their proper endorsement.

Charles
NOTE: The Motorcycle Safety Program is free to all Pennsylvania license holders. K

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NEWS:
www.lifesaversconference.org/index.html

Lifesavers Conference 2010 - Philadelphia
April 11-13, 2010

Workshops- motorcycle related ONLY:

Criminal Justice Track:
What Can Law Enforcement Do About Motorcycle Fatality Rates?

A prosecutor and law enforcement officers will team to explore why the crash and fatality rates of motorcycles have skyrocketed even while overall fatality rates are declining and what law enforcement and prosecutors can do about it. They will focus on, among other things, motorcycle checkpoints and proper practices and procedures. The legal basis for these actions and current potential legal challenges will be examined.
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Other Highway Safety Priorities Track Workshops:
Motorcycle Safety Initiatives

Motorcyclist fatalities in the United States have continued to increase for 11 straight years, reaching a record high of 5,290 deaths in 2008. This workshop will highlight three projects being undertaken in the areas of research, rider education, and operator licensing. The results of the Motorcycle Crash Causation pilot Study will be discussed along with a discussion that will examine the on-going full Crash Causation Study. Discussion of the development of National Standards for Entry-Level Motorcycle Rider Training will focus on the standards that will be released in draft form in August 2010. The recently published Guidelines for Motorcycle Operator Licensing will be the basis for a discussion on promising practices for jurisdictional driver licensing agencies and outline the model Graduated Rider Licensing system.

NOTE:
What is Lifesavers?

Lifesavers is the premier national highway safety meeting in the United States dedicated to reducing the tragic toll of deaths and injuries on our nation's roadways. Starting in the early 1980s, the Lifesavers conference attendance has grown steadily, drawing nearly 2,000 participants in 2009. Each year, the Lifesavers Conference provides a forum that delivers relevant and timely common-sense solutions to today's critical highway safety problems.

The conference addresses a wide range of safety topics, from child passenger safety and occupant protection to roadway and vehicle safety and technology. It offers the latest information on advances in highway safety, highlights successful programs and draws attention to emerging safety issues.

Lifesavers has no single sponsor and relies on the involvement of diverse private and public groups who share the common goal of improving highway safety. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ITEMS OF INTEREST

http://www.myfloridalegal.com/newsrel.nsf/newsreleases/9EB439C4205AD43E852576B0005D6D50
January 19, 2010
Media Contact: Sandi Copes
Phone: (850) 245-0150

Florida Attorney General: Individual Mandate In Federal Health Care Legislation is Unconstitutional ~ McCollum announces intention to file lawsuit, along with other Attorneys General, if provision becomes law ~

TALLAHASSEE, FL – Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum today announced the completion of his legal analysis of whether the individual mandate currently included in the federal health care legislation violates the U.S. Constitution. In a memo to Congressional leadership today, the Attorney General noted that the U.S. Constitution establishes a limited federal government that protects the freedom of individuals and the rights of states, and the individual mandate in the health care legislation is contrary to that Constitutional principle as it penalizes inactivity.

“Congress’s unprecedented mandate on every citizen to purchase health insurance coverage or to face a penalty raises serious constitutional concerns,” wrote the Attorney General. “The health care individual mandate provisions as currently drafted violate constitutional principles and lack constitutional authority for Congress to enact.”

In the current versions of the House and Senate legislation, there exists an individual mandate that would require everyone to purchase health insurance coverage, or otherwise pay a fee or tax. According to the Attorney General, a citizen’s choice not to buy health insurance cannot rationally be construed as economic activity, or even “activity,” to subject that inactivity to regulation under the Constitution’s Commerce Clause.

The Attorney General stated that if the individual mandate is in the final bill signed by the President, the States and citizens should pursue legal action to challenge it, and noted that several Attorneys General had expressed interest in joining Florida should legal action become necessary.

The Attorney General’s memo was issued today after receiving a request from Senator George LeMieux to respond quickly due to the speed of current negotiations on the health care legislation.

A copy of the memo is available online at: http://myfloridalegal.com/webfiles.nsf/WF/MRAY-7ZUMNW/$file/HealthCareMemo.pdf

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