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MMA's 2013-2014 Legislative Agenda
CREATION DATE: November 25, 2012 MODIFIED: August 7, 2014
The MMA’s 2013-2014 Legislative Agenda has been defined and the Bills have been filed. Co-Sponsors have signed on, Bill Numbers have been assigned, and the Bills have been assigned to Committees.
Public Hearings on all of these Bills have been held. We are now working to get these Bills out of Committee with "Favorable, Ought to Pass" recommendations.
Click here to download a 1-page summary of the MMA 2013-2014 Legislative Agenda.
The Bills listed below (in no particular order) are those the MMA sponsored in this 2013-2014 legislative session:
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S.1365: MOTORCYCLE SAFETY FUND BILL-Filed by
Senator Thomas McGee
Co-Sponsors: (10) Representatives Angelo Puppolo, Sarah Peake, Elizabeth
Poirier, James Miceli, Randy Hunt, Bradford Hill, Louis Kafka, Christine
Canavan, Todd Smola, and Carolyn Dykema (1) Senator Michael Knapik
Motorcyclists pay a $2.00
premium during their annual registration that is supposed to be allocated to a
Motorcycle Safety Fund. Though this motorcycle safety fund
technically exists, it's under control of the MassDOT; details are kept from
the public. S.1365 seeks to ensure that
this money is fully accounted for and stays in a dedicated Motorcycle Safety
Fund and is accounted for.
More information: Click
here
Referred to the Joint
Committee on Revenue
Held for further study
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H.3039: MOTORCYCLE SOUND EMISSIONS BILL-Filed by Representative Angelo D'Emilia and Senator Robert Hedlund
Co-Sponsors: (10) Representatives Sarah Peake, Elizabeth Poirier, James Miceli, Randy Hunt, Bradford Hill, Marc Lombardo, Bradley Jones, Stephen DiNatale, Todd Smola, and Kimberly Ferguson
Massachusetts has
two different laws that address Motorcycle Sound Emissions.One of them is
completely subjective and allows Law Enforcement much leeway when
determining how loud is “too loud”. The
other is completely objective and requires a series of controlled tests
specific to Motorcycles. H.3039
seeks to eliminate LEO use of the subjective law when dealing with
Motorcycles.
More Information: Click here
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H.3065: ADULT HELMET CHOICE BILL -Filed by Representative Anne Gobi
Co-Sponsors: (9) Representatives Angelo Puppolo, James Miceli, Marc Lombardo, Bradford Hill, Christine Canavan, Todd Smola, Geoff Diehl, David Vieira, and Shaunna O'Connell (1) Senator Michael Knapik
Riders 21 and over have the right
to bear arms, have served or are serving in the Military, yet they are not
allowed to ride helmet-free if they so choose.
At the same time, 4 New England States offer “Adult Choice” and
motorcyclists are leaving or bypassing Massachusetts to spend their tourist
dollars each weekend; the MMA estimates that if only 10% of Massachusetts’
riders stayed home each weekend, $1.25M per day would remain in the Commonwealth. H.3065 creates “Freedom of Choice” for the
adult motorcyclist. Riders under the
age of 21 would still be required to wear a helmet.
More information: Click here
Referred to the Joint Committee on Transportation - Sent to Study
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H.3140: MALFUNCTIONING TRAFFIC SIGNAL BILL-Filed by Representative Thomas Sannicandro
Co-Sponsors: (9) Representatives Carolyn Dykema, Angelo Puppolo, Sarah Peake, James Miceli. Randy Hunt, Bradford Hill, Marc Lombardo, Christine Canavan, Todd Smola
Throughout the Commonwealth, Motorcyclists, Bicyclists and
other roadway users find themselves “stuck” at Traffic Actuated Control Signals
that do not recognize their presence resulting in often illegal and potentially
dangerous results. H.3140 creates a set
of guidelines, similar to “Right on Red” which can create consistent behavior
and safe passage should a traffic signal malfunction in the Commonwealth.
More information: Click here
Referred to the Joint Committee on Transportation - Sent to Study
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S.1677: MOTORCYCLE SAFETY TRAINING BILL-Filed by Senator Thomas McGee
Co-Sponsors: (11) Representatives Sarah Peake, Elizabeth Poirier, James Miceli, Randy Hunt, Bradford Hill, Louis Kafka, Anne Gobi, Christine Canavan, Todd Smola, Carolyn Dykema, and Robert Fennell Senators (2) Michael Knapik, Bruce Tarr
Younger vehicle operators
represent the largest percentage of vehicular accidents largely due to their
inexperience; motorcycles are no exception.
In Massachusetts, those under age 29 represent 35% of all Motorcycle
Accidents and Fatalities. Although
Junior Operators are required under MA Law to take Rider Education for their
Motorcycle License, it is expensive and often not a priority for younger
riders. S.1677 proposes that 20% of the
MA Motorcycle Safety Fund (see S.1365) be used to subsidize the cost of MSF
training through the Massachusetts Rider Education Program.
More information: Click here
Read 1st, 2nd, $ 3rd, amended to S.2423
Voted and Passed the Senate - Sent to House
1st Reading in the House and sent to House, Ways & Means
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H.3040: RIGHT OF WAY BILL-Filed by Representative Geoff Diehl
Co-Sponsors: (10) Representatives Christine Canavan, Carolyn Dykema, Sarah Peake, Elizabeth Poirier, Todd Smola, David Vieira, James Miceli, Bradford Hill, Randy Hunt, and Marc Lombardo (2) Senators Michael Knapik and Bruce Tarr
In MA, if a motorist violates another’s Right-of-Way (RoW)
they receive nothing more than a $35 citation – a slap on the wrist; the
potential penalty to a Motorcyclist, Bicyclist, or Pedestrian could be a LIFE
SENTENCE at the Cemetery! In MA, 65% of
the time that a Motorcycle is involved in an accident with another vehicle,
it’s because the other motorist turned left in front of the Motorcycle! H.3040 seeks accountability for motorists who
injure or cause the death of other roadway users due to RoW Violations.
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H.3047: SPECIAL REGULATIONS FOR VEHICLE SPECIFIC CHECKPOINTS-Filed by Representative Carolyn Dykema
CO-Sponsors: (9) Representatives Sarah Peake, Elizabeth Poirier, James Miceli, Randy Hunt, Bradford Hill, Marc Lombardo, Christine Canavan, Todd Smola, and Thomas Conroy
Roadblocks and Vehicle Checkpoints are periodically used for Safety Purposes. Although the Massachusetts Constitution has specific processes and regulations for how and when "safety" checkpoints can be operated, it didn't stop some local municipalities from violating the Constitution with State Police support. H.3047 eliminates checkpoint stops based on the type of vehicle, or adornment of the vehicle and/or its operator.
More Information: Click here
H.3046: SUPPORT TO THE GOVERNOR'S HIGHWAY SAFETY COMMITTEE BILL-Filed by Representative Carolyn Dykema
CO-Sponsors: (12) Representatives Sarah Peake, Angelo Puppolo, Elizabeth Poirier, James Miceli, Randy Hunt, Bradford Hill, Marc Lombardo, Louis Kafka, Bradford Jones, Christine Canavan, Todd Smola, and Thomas Conroy
(3) Senators Sal DiDomenico, Michael Knapik, and Bruce Tarr
In Massachusetts, there exists a Governor's Highway Safety Committee; unfortunately, Motorcyclists are not represented. H.3046 seek to increase the committee members by one giving a motorcycle perspective to this Committee via the MMA.
-More Information: Click here
-Referred to the Joint Committee on Transportation
-Reported out of Committee with a "Favorable, Ought to Pass" recommendation
-Passed the House, was re-numbered H.3787, was enacted and sent to the Senate Ethics & Rules Committee
-Reported out of Committee with a "Favorable, Ought to Pass" recommendation
-Passed the Senate, was enacted and sent back to the House for engrossment
-Engrossed in the House
-Engrossed in the Senate and laid upon the Governor's Desk
-Signed into Law by Governor Deval Patrick
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