New reports from State Legislative can be downloaded from HERE
They are in Adobe PDF so need the free viewer – if you do not have can be downloaded FREE
Read Oct. ’09 – “Biker’s Guide to Contacting Your Legislator.”
Friday, October 14, 2011 Hey everyone, This was in The News Service of Florida. Sen. Dockery has filed this Bill for the past FIVE years and it has never past. This Bill would prevent a Legislator who let's say is an....Owner of an Insurance Business from voting on an issue that would require motorcyclist from having to pay to get more insurance. This is a Bill that I personally, will be talking to my House Rep. and State Senator about passing because I don't think someone should profit from a vote that they cast.They talk about integrity and trust so I am going to watch to see if they are all sizzle and no steak again this year.
BILL WOULD PREVENT CONFLICT OF INTEREST VOTES
Sen. Paula Dockery has again filed legislation that would bar lawmakers from voting on legislation that could benefit themselves or a relative. The Lakeland Republican has filed the bill for five years to no avail. State legislators currently have to disclose any potential conflict within 15 days of voting on a bill, but there's no law against them taking the vote. And the House has a rule preventing such votes – but the House could change that rule at anytime with a vote. The Senate has no such rule. "Given the public’s justifiable lack of trust and confidence in elected officials throughout the country, it is imperative that reforms of this nature be enacted," said Dockery, who will leave the Senate next year because of term limits. The measure (SB 552) is filed in the House as HB 359, where it will be sponsored by Rep. Fred Costello, R-Ormond Beach. "I am pleased to be able to emphatically state that the men and women of the Florida Legislature are of the highest integrity. However, the current state of the law that permits legislators to vote upon and lobby for matters from which they and their family members will make money is inappropriate," said Costello.
Darrin "Scribe" Brooks, State Legislative Trustee, ABATE of Florida, Inc. www.abateflorida.com
"Educate and inform the whole mass of the people... They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty." ~ Thomas Jefferson
Some people are not aware that every single penny of the $250,000 that ABATE of Florida, Inc. spends is audited by an Independent program and reported back to the DHSMV to make sure that ALL the money goes toward educating the public about motorcycle safety awareness.
Below is a the section that details the safety money in the budget. I will explain more about the spending and auditing process in my next update.
2484P SPECIAL CATEGORIES CONTRACTED SERVICES FROM HIGHWAY SAFETY OPERATING TRUST FUND . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,092,365 FROM FEDERAL GRANTS TRUST FUND . . . 796,726 FROM GAS TAX COLLECTION TRUST FUND . 3,040
From the funds in Specific Appropriation 2484P, 250,$000 in nonrecurring funds from the Highway Safety Operating Trust Fund are for the purpose of promoting motorcycle safety awareness through public information and education campaigns. These funds are provided to the American Bikers Aiming Toward Education of Florida, Inc. The American Bikers Aiming Toward Education of Florida, Inc. is required to provide an independent program audit to the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to ensure that these funds were utilized to enhance motorcycle safety education. The expense of this required independent program audit may be funded from a portion of the funds provided.
Darrin "Scribe" Brooks, State Legislative Trustee, ABATE of Florida, Inc. www.abateflorida.com
