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Lobby Efforts Are Important: Training Is Essential

Posted on Sep 02, 2009

Posted 2/23/2009

Every day it seems more and more anti-motorcycling legislation is popping up. Many states are gearing up for visits to their state capitols in an effort to discuss these issues with lawmakers and to present a unified message from the motorcycle community.

ABATE of Wisconsin’s Lobby Day is scheduled for February 26, 2009. Last year, 500 ABATE members and concerned motorcyclists visited every state legislator’s office bringing the message that we don’t need mandatory helmet laws, restrictive insurance measures or cuts in motorcycle safety funding. Last year, Hupy and Abraham, S.C. sponsored two busses to bring bikers from the southeast part of Wisconsin to the state capitol. This year, the law firm has promised to pay for three busses to take Region I ABATE members to Madison. In addition, it was learned that in Illinois, two helmet reinstatement bills have surfaced, SB 1351 and HB 0925. Hupy and Abraham, S.C. has offered to pay for up to three busses to take ABATE members to the capitol in Springfield, Illinois as well. “This is a critical time, where the tide could turn and we must get as many people to Madison and Springfield as possible,” said Attorney Michael Hupy.

Besides funding the busses from southeast Wisconsin for two years in a row, Hupy and Abraham, S.C. also helped to sponsor the Officer Training seminar for ABATE of Wisconsin by paying for the evening dinner for the nearly 200 activists who spent a weekend attending workshops to prepare for this year’s lobby effort. The bikers who participate in the lobby effort here are well educated in the issues, have position statements on various issues to leave with legislators and approach the entire lobby effort in a well orchestrated manner, thanks to ABATE of Wisconsin’s officer training program.