IMPORTANT US Defenders Call to action to request Governor Susana Martinez put a bill on the legislative agenda for the 2012 session that would increase the penalty for a person who commits Careless Driving that would result in death or great bodily harm. During the 2011 session a similar bill, which was introduced as HB68 The Careless Driving Bill, which successfully passed through two house committees and a house floor vote before it died in the Senate due to inactivity. We are hoping to improve safety on our roads. We suggest you write your own letter and e-mail it to henry.varela@state.nm.us, who is the contact for the governor or mail it to the address included in sample letter. We have also included a sample letter which you may also use as a template or draw information to use in your own letter. Remember to add your name and affiliation to the bottom of the letter. Thank you
Please forward your letter to Tools from the Defenders or Annette so we can keep track of how many letters went out.
Tools from the US Defenders
Annette NMMRO
call if you have any questions 730-0435
On short notice ,this info came to me. So I'm asking if you can help in anyway as US Defenders please do.(e-mails, calls, etc.) Motorcyclist apparently have their attention in Santa Fe! Our Calls to Action are productive, and more are to come as we request justice and fairness in New Mexico.Anything we do to help the biker community is a victory, Respects and Thanks, TOOLS US Defenders Commander NM I apologize about the short notice, not a call to action, just asking for help if you got time!
This year's Legislative session offers us an unprecedented opportunity to improve the safety of the New Mexico motorcycle community with two important pieces of legislation. We need your help to make sure they are both successful and we need that help today.
House Bill 12 will be heard this Saturday 2/4! We are not sure of the exact time yet, but we are hopeful it will be in the morning before the COC meeting at 2 pm. This Bill, known as the Careless Driving Bill, will increase penalties for a driver who causes great bodily harm or death to another person (whether that person is a motorcyclist, a bicyclist, a pedestrian, or a driver/passenger of another vehicle) when the driver that caused the crash is not impaired by DUI/DWI and subject to a charge of reckless driving or vehicular homicide. The current penalty to a driver who is sober and hits someone with their vehicle (causing great bodily harm or death) is a maximum $300 fine and 90 days in jail. House Bill 12 will increase the penalties for this act of careless driving so that negligent drivers who kill bikers, bicyclists and pedestrians receive more than a traffic ticket and community service.
HB 12 can be found here: http://www.nmlegis.gov/lcs/_session.aspx?chamber=H&legtype=B&legno= 12&year=12
Senate Memorial 35, Motorcycle Traffic Escorts is currently in the Senate Rules Committee. This is the Memorial for the M-STEP that will require the NM Department of Transportation and the NM Department of Public Safety to convene a Task Force to create a training program for motorcycle escorts and recommend legislation for the endorsement and support of volunteer motorcycle escorts statewide. Included in the Memorial is the requirement that the motorcycle community be included at all levels of the program as active participants in the process. I would like to thank Senior NM Senator Richard Martinez for not only sponsoring this Memorial, but for allowing us to write it so that our interests are protected.
SM 35 can be found here: http://www.nmlegis.gov/lcs/_session.aspx?chamber=S&legtype=M&legno= 35&year=12
We are working hard to protect your rights, but we need your help! Here are the three things you can do...
1. If you are available to go to Santa Fe Saturday to show your support, please contact Annette or Diva BB. You are welcome to ride or drive. We need to fill the gallery with people in support of this bill. If you are not able to go, please call your legislator and tell them you support House Bill 12 to increase penalties for careless driving. If you are not sure who your legislator is, just click here: http://www.nmlegis.gov/lcs/legislatorsearch.aspx It will only take a couple of minutes to do this and it will make a huge impact on legislators when they recieve hundreds of phone calls.
2. Tell the members of the Senate Rules Committee that you support Senate Memorial 35 and believe volunteer motorcycle escorts improve the safety of other motorcyclists and the traveling public. Here are the members of the committee and their office numbers at the state capital:
Title Name Role
Senator Linda M. Lopez Chair (505) 986-4737
Senator George K. Munoz Vice Chair (505) 986-4387
Senator William F. Burt Member (505) 986-4266
Senator Dede Feldman Member (505) 986-4482
Senator Timothy Z. Jennings Member (505) 986-4733
Senator Gay G. Kernan Member (505) 986-4274
Senator Michael S. Sanchez Member (505) 986-4727
Senator Peter Wirth Member (505) 986-4276
Senator Stuart Ingle Ranking Member (505) 986-4702
3. Please forward this message to everyone you know who supports motorcycle rights and safety. If you have ever organized an event for a community organization that benefitted from motorcyclists donating their time and efforts, please reach out to them to call their legislators. Our safety and our ability to escort our riders means we can keep doing what we do for the community. Please do it today!
