These laws cover everything from Hov lanes, to helmet communicators, to funding for rider education programs. This involvement in the political process helped to establish our political credibility and gave us a positive track record. The bill passed a sub-committee vote, but failed to pass a vote of the full Transportation Committee. While this first battle was lost, we learned valuable lessons for the future. Since that time, the committee has met on a regular basis.
Representatives come from around the state.
Over the spring and summer we collected and dispersed useful information, collected donations, built up support and enthusiasm. As summer turned to fall we were getting strategy tips from professional lobbyists. We were also urging our Members to contact their state representatives to express their desire to be able to decide for themselves when or if to wear a helmet. In November, a major fund raising effort was launched in an effort to hire a professional lobbyist to represent us in Richmond. Thousands of dollars were raised in a matter of weeks and the lobbyist was hired.