OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS
Washington State
CONGRESSIONAL 4TH DISTRICT
SENATOR PATTY MURRAY
SENATOR MARIA CANTWELL
REPRESENTATIVE DAN NEWHOUSE
13TH LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT
BLACK THURSDAY
January 21, 2021
Black Thursday is a yearly event in January where motorcycle enthusiasts across Washington state ride to Olympia and meet with legislators to discuss motorcycle riding issue.
2021 will be a little different. Due to Covid-19, we will not have an "in-person" gathering. This will take place online. Please contact your representative to address our concerns in the biker community.
2022 Black Thursday will take change to Friday, January 21, 2022. Hoping for a larger biker turnout to address our concerns.
HOW TO FIND YOUR DISTRICT
Okay, to be honest, I don't know who my representative is.
Believe us, you're not alone. Many people don't know who their senators and representatives are. And that's okay! Just go click the "District Finder" tab below and input your zip code or state; it will tell you who your elected officials are.
WHY DOES IT TAKE SO LONG FOR LAWS TO PASS?
For a bill to become a law there is a lot of things that have to happen. It needs to be sponsored, go through a committee which can take a while, then be debated, then passed in the House and Senate. There are pros and cons on both sides, because you want Congress to legislate on an issue that may need to be passed fast, but also you don't want Congress to rush to get a bill done that may be useless or have a negative impact.
LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS
We take a stand against motorcycle discrimination and motorcycle legislation that interferes with personal freedom. ABATE members get involved at the grass-roots level to support bills that promote fair motorcycle legislation and work to prevent or repeal laws which are prejudicial to motorcycling.
One of the best ways to ensure you have a say regarding motorcycle legislation is to vote. To do that, you need to register to vote. Follow the link above to register online or get instructions to do it by mail or in person.
Get to know your Legislators
To make a difference, develop a relationship with your legislators on a personal basis. They are your neighbors, take time to build a positive relationship on common ground.
Become informed on
the issues.
Attend ABATE business meetings for legislative updates.
Attend Black Thursday.
LANE SHARING BILL
HB 1157
Allowing lane sharing only on freeways when traffic speed is at 25mph or less, and with a motorcycle to traffic speed differential of no more than 10mph.
HELMET BILL
SB5007: Senator Rolfes 3 year pilot program to study helmet choice and any effect that has on motorccyle fatalities in Washington State.
Parking Bill HB1058
1. Currently, the law does not even mention motorcycles. So some law enforcement officers are using the words “parallel to the curb” in the current law to write illegal parking tickets to motorcycles parking with a wheel towards the curb as is the normal style of parking for a motorcycle.
2. Using this way of thinking law enforcement could easily write “illegal parking” citations to each additional motorcycle parked in a single parking space along the curb. Generating nearly $1,000 in fines from each parking space in a congested urban area. This bill would prevent taxpayers from being fined in such a manner.
Enhanced Penalty for striking a "vulnerable user of a public way"
1. This concept would make it a felony (vehicular assault) to strike and cause “substantial bodily harm” (break a bone, or hospitalize, or worse) to anyone from the “vulnerable public way users” category (pedestrians, bicyclists, people riding animals, motorcyclists, farm equipment operators, etc.).
2. The definition of each of the phrases in quotations are in the RCW’s.
3. RCW 9.94A.030 Definitions state that; eluding a police officer, driving while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug, physical control of a vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug, and hit-and-run injury-accident are all already a “Felony traffic Offense”. Yet striking a member of the vulnerable users often only results in a traffic citation.
HB1116
Motorcycle Weight Fee: Reduces the $25 minimum 4,000 pound "weight fee" to $6 for motorccyles up to 1,000 pounds, and $12 for motorccyles up to 2,000 pounds gross vehicle weight.
HB1152
Motorcycle Anti-Profiing: Support the COC as requested to enhance the current Motorccyle Anti-Profiling Act.