Legislative Report

by Steve Panten

Wisconsin’s Spring Election is over and for the first time, we won’t know the winners for a few days. This was a strange turn of events leading up to the election but in the end, I hope motorcyclists were able to cast ballots to protect our lifestyle. Residents in Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District will have another opportunity to vote in an election on May 12th to help shape the House of Representatives. The 7th District is a large part of the State, covering much of the north and the west. If you live in this area it is very important to get to know the candidates and more important, get them to know about ABATE of Wisconsin and the motorcyclists that we represent.

Our ability to vote for who represents us is what determines how effective we will be in the State of Wisconsin. Decisions made during this election year will set the tone for us in 2021 and beyond. If we learned anything from the past couple of years, it was that motorcycle friendly representatives are appreciated and needed. Having our “friends” in the legislature helps our volunteers to navigate the process. We need friends to help keep an eye on bills that are drafted that could affect us. Since we do not have anyone in Madison monitoring what different groups are working on every day, we rely on our friends in the Legislature. This can be a Legislator or a staff member, but one thing is for sure, it’s all about relationships created early.

So here we are with a lull in the action. Covid-19 has us shut down. Motorcycle events that raise cash for us to exist are being cancelled, creating a hardship for our survival. Now is the time that we need to look outside-the-box to find ways to help us keep a safe and enjoyable environment for motorcyclists in Wisconsin. This is a great opportunity to call or email your State Legislators and thank them for their help in the past, and to ask them to help support an anti-motorcyclist profiling resolution that we will be bringing back next year. The more that we can accomplish right now, the easier it will be for us in January. Get to know all the candidates for the upcoming November election. Where do they stand on our issues? How they can help us is important, but also how can you help them? Take this time to become more familiar with the Wisconsin Legislature website (www.legis.wisconsin.gov) so you can be more effective in the future.

While we have a lull in the State Legislature, there is still activity in Washington D.C., and we are fortunate that the Motorcycle Riders Foundation is there watching out for us. Recently we were sent a “Call to Action” from the MRF asking us to weigh-in on things that we feel should be included in the next Highway Bill. Did you respond? This came up quickly after the Stimulus Bill passed and we were fortunate to have people watching for stuff like this. In the end the discussions were delayed to a different time, but this is a great example of the need to remain ever vigilant. Members from ABATE of Wisconsin are still hoping to make the voyage to Washington DC to Lobby our Federal Legislators at the MRF’s Bikers Inside the Beltway. There is a lot of positive things that need to happen in the world before we can make the trip, but in the event that the stars align, we will be ready to go.

My hope is that with all this going on, we are watching out for each other. Support our friends that own small business, those that are fighting to remain in a position to help us, or those that are just struggling to survive. Be safe, take care and enjoy life.

That’s it.

Steve