January 29, 2007
This is the first week back for the TN Senate after
all of the reorganization and the House is firing on all cylinders. At
close of business yesterday just under 300 total bills had been filed.
Today that number went to 1,254 in the House and over 1,900 in the
Senate. Over 3100 Pieces of legislation or approximately 1500 bills.
Today was Senate cutoff with a limit of 9 additional bills that can be
filed for each Senator until the final cutoff.
Committees are yet to tackle any legislation with
organization being the first order of business. Several new committee
chairs in the House and all new chairs in the Senate. Budget sub is yet
to be announced.
The helmet bill hit the TN website this afternoon.
SB1511 by Burchett, a 21 & Over clean bill.
The ROW bill is
SB0794 by Burchett. Rob Briley
(Judiciary Committee Chairman) will carry in the House. As written, it
will need an amendment. It calls for immediate license suspension and that
was not the language we requested. Mr. Briley and I will meet on
Wednesday to resolve the language.
Section (a) needs revision.
The House bills for helmet and ROW will go in next
Wed. or Thursday (cut off day in the house).
In addition to the helmet bill and ROW bill, we now
have in the hopper three ignition interlock bills for DUI offenders.
This is of interest to motorcyclists as it has to be installed and there
are technical issues.
Status – WATCHING
ROW – Senate Sponsor - Burchett
House Sponsor – Briley (Judiciary Chairman)
The "kid bill" still has no house companion bill.
Filing deadline for the house is next Thursday.
The "Wheelie Bill" picked up a Senate companion
yesterday and is actively being worked. If anyone on this list has
connection with sport bike leaders (JP?) in Tennessee, please have them contact me. The
House sponsor is interested in hearing from them.
HB0481 has the word motorcycle in it as the state is
asking all of us to pony up an extra $16 a year for every vehicle we own
to fund more road projects. We are watching the bill.
NEW TODAY I’ll be talking with the AMA on this one.
Maybe vented helmets would be appropriate.
HB1066 by Maggart, Watson
SB1155 by
Black
