Local - Start Seeing Motorcycle Banners are down for the season as per IDOT requirements. This past riding season our banners were at 36 traffic and event locations. Thank you letters went to the various agencies that supported our cause this year. The banners are in storage for now, but if you have and early spring event and wish to have a banner displayed, please let me know.

On October 4th the following person: Popeye, Barb, Arnie, Brian,Lin, Roger, Judy, Cleaver, Bethany and myself attended a wine tasting event fund raiser for Representative Jim Sacia. We met and spoke with Jim Sacia, John Blum, Vicki Otte, Adrienne Becker and various person from Stephenson and Jo Daviess Counties. I am told the wine was good as was the spinach dip & cheese...Out of This World!

On October 23rd Representative Jerry Mitchell had a Leadership Breakfast in Oregon, IL. Arnie Binning and Roger Larson from Freeport Chapter along with Kat Conner from Twin Rivers attended this event.

Election of ABATE Executive Officers - State Coordinator: Mike Meyers, Assistant Coordinator: Roger Leach, Secretary: Kat Conners, Treasurer: Julie Bacon, Legislative: George Tinkham, Safety & Ed: Laura Mayer, PR: Carleen Grant, Newsletter: RJ Scroggins, Bike Raffle: Gus Miller, Products: Terri VanHuss.

State Level - Fall Veto Session: October 14, 2009. Among issue being looked at during this session; campaign reform, program funding, CRT funding and planning.

Campaign Reform: In the House. Being discussed is capping dollar limits candidates for state office can receive from individuals, PAC's, and corporations. $6,000 is the proposed limit. What is missing is those in leadership roles have no limits placed on where and how much they may donate to any campaign. For example, Speaker Madigan would be allowed to donate unlimited amounts of money to any campaign, particular those in races where he opposes and incumbent. So, this candidate would have a tendency to work at the Speakers will versus the constituents.

MAP Program: Assistance Program funding for college students faces a $200 million deficit. This week the House passed HB4622 which restores funding, but has no means to pay for the program. Governor Quinn is proposing a $1 additional state tax on tobacco products. Currently we have a $ .98 cent state tax on d=cigarettes, this increase would soar to $1.98. These funds will be directed to the MAP program.

IDOT Motorcycle Training Reserve Seat Fund: An administrative rule, allowed IDOT to transfer $500 thousand dollars of cycle rider training funds to its coffers. The money taken, is outside the normal funding process with M endorsements and plate fees. Signing up for a CRT class one is required to lay down a $20 deposit. Some students waive a refund, and donate to the program. This is where the $500 thousand comes from.

CRT Program: It may be in jeopardy. Currently those in IDOT who are heading the cycle Rider training program, who have no motorcycle experience, no motorcycle background are looking to reform the entire program. The primary goal is "No Turn Away:. Typically, when classes are full, students are then turned away. Yet, numbers of those turned away are those who sign up for multiple classes or sign up for a class in one location then go in as a walk in at another location. The tentative plan is to allow students to do classroom work "online". Hence, this will allow more range time. And they are requiring that a normal class be increased three fold. This is simply an unsustainable goal. This year we will be looking at removing this program from IDOT and to put in place a panel for oversight who have motorcycle background skills and possibly move the entire program under the Secretary of State Office. If the program stays at its current course, we could lose the necessary MRF program certification.

Federal Department of Transportation - Motorcycle Crash Causation Study: The last crash study was completed in the 1970's. So much has changed since then that the motorcycle safety community has pushed aggressively for a more up to date study. The study will be a partnership between the Federal Highway Administration and Oklahoma State University. Grants up to $3 million dollars provided to SU came from the Safety, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act...A legacy for users. OSU was required to provide matching funds for this study. They did not have the funds so a waiver has been issued to OSU so the study can begin. As a result, this study will not be as large as planned. The study will look at data from hundreds of motorcycle rashes for common factors, road configurations, environmental conditions and rider experience. The study focus is to look at how these factors may be affected by countermeasures that, if effectively implemented, will prevent motorcycle crashes or lessen the harm when they occur. In 2008 alone, deaths due to motorcycle crashes rose by an estimated 2.2 percent while all other vehicle classes saw reductions in fatalities.

Distracted Driving Summit: A two day summit held the last week of September covered the amount of distracted driving from the use of cell phones, GPS systems, DVD players that it is not surprising driver distraction has risen over the past few years. What is truly startling is the dramatic rise of texting from behind the wheel. Estimates say texting has increased by 500%. Senators Chuck Schumer of New York and Senator Amy Klobucher from Minnesota spoke of their bill called Alert Drivers Act. This bill requires states to pass texting bans or forfeit 5% of Federal Highway funds. (ABATE has always stood against blackmail legislation). As a reminder, Illinois has two public acts (96-0130 and 96-0131) dealing with ell phone use and driving. Both laws take effect on January 1, 2010.

Consumer Products Safety Commission - On Wednesday October 14 has agenda item Number 4 (Recreational Off-Highway Vehicles) that was open to the public. Also discussed was deal determination guidance, toy safety certification program. And the on October 15 a close meeting to discuss the results of the Wednesday meeting. As of this writing, results of these meetings had yet to be released. A special note: a recent Washington Post story reports that employees at the CSPC accepted dozens of trips paid for by toy and children's furniture manufacturers that the agency regulates.

16th Congressional District: Freeport Mayor George Gaulrapp announced on Saturday in Galena, IL the he will be running against Don Manzullo for the US 16th Congressional Seat. Gaulrapp said, "to get into a position where I can make a real difference for Northwest Illinois".