Federal Update: HIPAA Loophole Fix

The Motorcycle Riders Foundation reports that legislation to close the
loophole that allows insurance providers to discriminate against motorcyclists when it comes to fully funding all benefits is beginning to gain some momentum.

The House Bill (HR 1076) has 45 co-sponsors, while the Senate Bill (S 616) has 3 co-sponsors. “The impressive part of the list of House co-sponsors is that over half of them are Representatives from states that sent SMRO grassroots lobbyists to DC this year,” said Jeff Hennie, Vice President of Government Relations for the Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF).

"I would like to give a huge thanks to all of our SMRO partners that have lobbied this important legislation." Hennie added.

Over the past few months MI, WA, WI, NM, NY, NJ, OH, PA, CO, IA, AK, MN, and IL have all sent representatives from their respective State Motorcyclists’ Rights Organizations to Washington DC to lobby for the advancement of this issue.  Those visits resulted in over 200 individual, sit-down office meetings with Senators, House Members and staff.

The MRF is still working on the "Right to Repair" bill. This bill would require car and bike manufacturers to make diagnostic information available outside of the dealer network. This would allow small repair shops and "back yard"  mechanics to work on more computer controlled systems that currently some shops can not do, because of the inability to obtain computer software for the manufactures. 

This inability also requires us to use only dealerships for our repairs, instead of our trusted local mechanics. New legislation has been drafted and is being reviewed for potential sponsors in the House and Senate. It should be reintroduced and assigned a bill number. When this happens, the MRF will make the information available, so that we can contact our legislators to ask for their support.

State Update:

Assembly Bill 1939 "The Confiscation Bill" has moved out of the Ways and Means committee and is now in the Rules committee.  It is expected to be moved to the floor for a vote soon. The Senate companion Bill S1705 has been committed to Rules and has been ordered to a third reading.

Senate Bill S0796 which would exempt bicycle, motorcycle, snowmobile and equestrian helmets from sales and use tax has passed the Senate and been sent to the Assembly, where it has been referred to Ways and Means.

I would still like some more problem intersections in the county to send to Assemblymember  RoAnn Destito.  I have Elmer Hill and Rt. 26, Seneca and Gansevoort St. and Business Park Dr. and Burrstone Rd.  I need them ASAP, please.

I would like to wish Joe Tyo well and hope that his health issues can be resolved quickly. I  thank him for his time as President and hope he will still be able to continue as a  valued member.

Prospector has asked each chapter to donate some items to be brought to The Meeting of the Minds in Iowa later this year. These items will be auctioned off and the proceeds will go to the MRF. If we could come up with things specific to our area we can put them together in a basket and donate it from Oneida County. These items are
needed before the State Meeting in September. Thanks in advance for your help.