Hello Members,
Well here we are about to wrap up another year and start a new one. As
with any changes we seek to find the best in ourselves and to come out
stronger and further along in our goals than we ever expected. This new
year brings the same for the KMA/KBA. The last few years has seen a
decrease in the membership but with your help we can turn that around.
We are looking for new faces and new ideas. While there are some
familiar ones here in the state office the new year has brought quite a
few new faces as well. We are already in a legislative fight at both the
national and state levels concerning the helmet issue. In D.C. the NTSB
(National Transportation Safety Board) has issued a recommendation to
all states to pass mandatory helmet use laws for all riders. Now here in
KY Sen. Julian Carroll has pre-filed a bill to do just that in BR 331.
BR stands for bill request and it will be given a regular SB # when the
session starts in Jan. So as you can see it is the time to put all past
differences aside and work towards our common foe of big government.
Let me first start off by telling you what were are in the process of
doing both in D.C. and in Frankfort. For the issues confronting us in
D.C. we are talking with our congressional delegation as they come back
from D.C. for the holidays or via phone conferences depending upon their
schedules. We are asking that they hold the NTSB accountable for their
recommendations that were made after studying only 6 motorcycle crashes.
For a group that can take years to put out a recommendation concerning a
plane crash and usually after much more data is presented it seems they
could take more time and effort to study the various factors concerning
motorcycle safety than what they did.
Here in KY we have asked several other legislators and those close to
Sen. Carroll to talk with the Senator and find out why he put the bill
in first and foremost and then to ask that he reconsider and pull the
bill. If this is unsuccessful then we will need to light up the phone
lines in Frankfort when the session starts. So be sure to have your
phone trees and contacts up to date for when/if the call comes. Any
members or friends that live in Sen. Carroll's district would be the
most help. He represents parts of Fayette, Anderson, Woodford and
Franklin counties. If you live or know folks that live in these areas be
sure they are on your contact lists. As things progress we will keep you
as up to date as possible. You can also monitor any bill by going to the
LRC website and signing up for bill watch. It will send you an email
about a bill whenever there is a change in its status. Check out the
links section of the website www.kmakba.com to get there.
Well I told you there were some new faces here in the state office and
also around the state in the different districts and chapters. Let me
first off say thank you to all those officers who volunteered their time
over the past year(s). Taking on the responsibilities of an office is
not the easiest thing in the world to do so next time you see a past
officer say thank you for the time they put in and please help those
currently volunteering for they will need and appreciate any and all
help they can get as well. If you had not heard I, Jay Huber, have
stepped back in to the president's spot for the remainder of this term.
The president's spot will be up for election at the end of 2008 and the
search is on for candidates willing to take on this position. Contact me
if you are interested in learning more about this job and if you would
like to take it on. The other familiar face in the state office is Fred
Myers who is continuing on as Vice President of Membership. If you have
any membership questions Fred is always more than willing to assist. New
to the state office but a face that has been around for years is Jim
'Hair' Horton as the new Vice President of Legislative Affairs. Jim is
also the Vice Director of Dist. #11 and should be a great help in
talking with our legislators. Our new state treasurer is Becky Staton.
Becky does this for a living working in the accounting dept of her
'real' job which should bring a new wealth of knowledge and
professionalism to the job. My new state secretary is actually my first
one, Jamisue Moore has agreed to come back and help with the
communications from the state office and keep the records of the state
board meetings.
Speaking of communications this in area where some changes are being
made and we will probably have to work out a few bugs along the way.
With costs of printed materails and postage on the rise this has forced
us to move our newsletter into the electronic age. On the Road will now
be an e-newsletter based off our website. Helping to make this
transition will be Michelle Readenour our new newsletter editor and our
current webmaster Bob Elmore. This team will seek to find the best way
in which to get the news out as possible. If you know of members that do
not have access to the web we ask that you print an extra copy out for
them or tell them to contact their district officer(s) to obtain a copy.
Check back to the website www.kmakba.com for some upcoming changes. With
the change we hope to be able to bring you the news and information on a
more timely basis and an increasing number of times.
There are many new and exciting ideas floating around out there and some
have been brought forward. If you have any please do not hesitate to
present them. Each will be considered and if feasible acted upon. Don't
be surprised if I ask you to help get it going though. We will always
need volunteers. Volunteerism is what drives the heart of the KMA/KBA.
The ability for us get a bunch of phone calls to Frankfort or D.C. The
ability to get our members to work in a campaign office or put up a yard
sign or two. This is the stength of the KMA/KBA. No matter what the
number of or membership is so long as that membership is willing to
participate in these needed activities we will be as if not more
effective than ever.
With that said I encourage each of you attend the Freedom Fighters Forum
2008. Attached to this email will be a flyer or if you looking on the
website there will be one there. Please print it out and pass it along
to others interested in protecting the few liberties and freedoms we
have from the nanny state. It need not matter if they ride or not just
that they have a desire to be involved in the political process. I hope
to see everyone there or at a meeting near you soon. With any luck I
will try to make at least one meeting for each district and chapter this
year.
Jay Huber
KMA/KBA
State President
|