| HIPPA
Restrictions on Medical Coverage |
| What it is: |
Several years ago medical insurance was being denied to motorcyclists, horseback
riders, snowmobilers, skiers, etc due to the insurance companies claiming these activities
to risky to insure. In 20?? this issue was to rectified in the HIPPA bill.
What happened was the HIPPA regulations stated it was illegal for insurance companies to
deny coverage based on these activities. BUT it allowed insurance companies the
right to deny benefits for injuries sustained while participating in these activities |
| Bills: |
H.R. 1076 Title; To promote health care coverage parity for individuals participating
in legal recreational activities or legal transportation activities. (Introduced
2/15/2007) Cosponsors (96) |
| Related
Bills: |
S.616 |
|
| NTSB
Calls for Federal Mandatory Helmet Laws and Other Restrictions |
| What it is: |
As motorcycling riding has become more popular, motorcycle deaths have more than
doubled since 1997. In 2006.motorcycle deaths increased for the ninth straight year,
to 4,810 motorcycle deaths, compared with 4,576 in 2005. The National Transportation
Safety Board has called for all states to enact a mandatory helmet law, as well as for
mandating reflectorized clothing for all riders. |
| Bills: |
The NTSB can only RECOMMEND that a law
be passed, they can NOT put a law into place. They have NO POWER to make laws.
That being said we should expect an attempt, either at the Federal level or, more likely,
here on the State level, for mandatory helmet use bill to be introduced. |
|
| EPA
Requirements/End of Life Cycle |
| What it is: |
The EPA has recently taken aim at motorcycle exhaust pollution. New motorcycles
produced after 2010 will have to be water cooled with catalytic converters to meet the new
EPA specs. Harley Davidson has said that they expect to produce an air cooled
motorcycle that will meet the EPA regulations, however at this point in time the
technology does not exist for air cooled motorcycles to meet the strict EPA regulations. |
| Bills: |
EPA restrictions will affect all new
motorcycles produced but what of the older models produced under less restrictive
requirements. Bills have been introduced on the federal level to restrict from road
use any motorcycle that is more than 10 years old or one that has more than 50,000 miles
on it. While these bills have not moved out of committee AVATE of Ohio, Inc and our
national collaboratives are watching for any new developments. |
|
| Right
to Repair Act |
| What it is: |
Currently, certain manufacturers hold a kind of monopoly on the information necessary
to fix your vehicles. They don’t want to give up the information for two basic
reasons. First, theya re calling it a trade secret. This information deals
with the way they make their vehicles. Secondly, and most important, money.
They don’t want you to be able to go to the neighborhood mechanic or even do it
yourself. They want you to pay them |
| Bills: |
HR 2694. This bills would allow
you to get your bikes fixed anywhere you wanted. |
|
| LEGISLATIVE ISSUES |
| State of Ohio |
|
| Right of Way Bill |
| What it is: |
Motorcycle rights organizations all over the state of Ohio
have joined forces to increase penalities to inattentive drivers who cause death or
serious injury to others. Tired of people killing or maiming our brothers and
sisters and only getting a slap on the wrist, motorcyclists all over the country are
getting state legislators to increase penalties for Right of Way violations. |
| Bills: |
Committee assignment: Senate Judiciary – Criminal Justice. |
|
| Seizure Bills |
| What it is: |
Police agencies in Ohio and many other states have seized motorcycles from legal
owners stating that numbers or letters or numbers in the serial number look altered.
ABATE of Ohio, inc does not condone motorcycle thefts and supports law enforcement efforts
to find stolen motorcycles. However, ABATE of Ohio, Inc believes that if a
motorcycle can not be shown to have been stolen and there is a rightful registered owner
of the motorcycle should be returned to that owner within a reasonable time frame and in
the condition that it was taken. |
| Bills: |
In the Senate : SB 204 – Senate
Judiciary – Civil Justice Committee
In the House: HB 278 – Civil and Commercial Law Committee |
|
| Removal of Handlebar Height
Restrictions |
| What it is: |
Fourteen States have completely removed handlebar height limits including our
neighboring state of Pennsylvannie. ABATE of Ohio, Inc is looking into introducing
legislation elimination motorcycle handlebar height restrictions based on the legislation
passed in Pennsylvannia. |
| Bills: |
Legislation not introduced yet. |
|
