Motorcycle-Only Checkpoint Legislation Scheduled for April 25 Hearing in Missouri
OutdoorHub 04.24.12
Legislation to prohibit motorcycle-only checkpoints has been introduced in Missouri and is scheduled for a hearing before the Senate Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence Committee on April 25, 2012 at 5:00 p.m.
Senate Bill 897, sponsored by Senator Kurt Schaefer, would prohibit any law enforcement agency from establishing a roadside checkpoint or road block pattern based upon a particular vehicle type, including the establishment of motorcycle-only checkpoints.
Click here for full information on SB-897.
Because time is short, it is important for those who support fair and equitable treatment of motorcyclists to register their support for this important legislation.
Here are the steps you can take to convince lawmakers that the motorcycling community does not want motorcycle-only checkpoints in Missouri:
- Call your state senator and tell him or her why you support SB897. If you don’t know who your state senator is, visit the AMA Issues & Legislation webpage and enter your ZIP code. If your senator is a member of the committee, mention that SB-897 is scheduled to be heard on April 25.
- Call Senator Jack Goodman, chair of the Senate Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence Committee, at 573-751-2234 to tell him why you support SB-897 and respectfully request his support for the bill.
- Call Senator Kurt Schaefer, sponsor of SB-897, at 573-751-3931 to thank him for sponsoring the bill.
- Talking points you might consider when making those calls:
- No particular vehicle type, including motorcycles, should be singled out for unwarranted roadside checkpoints. To do otherwise smacks of profiling.
- Motorcycle-only checkpoints in other states are perceived to be about revenue generation, not safety.
- Limited funds and personnel are better utilized in reducing traffic crashes through motorcycle training programs and awareness campaigns, not wasted on discriminatory roadside checkpoints.
Three phone calls – ten minutes of your time – can make a real difference for the on-highway motorcycling community in Missouri.
Take a few minutes on Wednesday, April 25 to make those calls.
