HB2443 (Formerly known as Copper Sticker)

[1BLKJP]

Hi All,

This bill is progressing nicely and it seems is coming to the Senate Floor tomorrow for a vote from the Committee of the Whole. It passed it's last committee vote 10-0 (Which our lobbyist helped us with), and had also passed the house 54-4 I believe (Again due to our lobbyist. Starting to see my point. :D) We are asking that you please utilize the basic template below (of course make the changes that lend it a personal sound from each of you) and send it to your district's senator. Of course this is just a basic idea for you to follow. If you'd rather write your own letter that's definitely fine. Just keep it fairly short as we are just wanting them to know that we support the bill and a few reasons why. The bill is looking good for OHV and thru the efforts of the AZOHVC and our lobbyist we feel that this bill should be fully supported by the OHV community and want you to let your senators know this as well.

Here is a link to find your senator and district.
http://www.azleg.state.az.us/MemberRoster.asp?Body=S

------------------------------------------------------

PLEASE VOTE YES OR please support
Concerning HB2443

Honorable Senator XXXX
District XXXX

My name is XXX , I ride XXXX(dirt bike ect) and or am a member of XXX club.
I vote in XXX district.
Or my family of XXX votes in XXX district.

In anticipation of the Senate Floor Vote for HB 2443, I encourage you to look over the benefits of the bill and support it.
Or: When you hear House Bill 2443 I ask you to consider the benefits or plus's or goodthings the bill provides and please support it.

These are the benefits I believe are important in the Bill (pick around 3 )

· Give OHV recreation community a sense of stewardship in promoting safe, sustainable and environmentally sound OHV use

· Create ability to manage the impacts from OHV recreation

· Create additional OHV law enforcement and promote responsible recreation.

· Provide for an OHV plate that will allow identification of Vehicles for Law Enforcement

· Contains PM 10 dust abatement measures

· Provide for education and information on OHV use and impacts, and detailed accountability to the legislature regarding the use of these funds

· Not draw from State General Fund

. Give law enforcement a way to track stolen OHV vehicles

. I know this bill is supporting the agencies that manage my trails


(We or I) SUPPORT HB 2443 and ask that you support this very important Bill .

Please VOTE YES on HB 2443.

Thank You For your consideration.
Sincerely,
xxx
AddressXXX

[My1stJeep]

Senator Gould has proposed a floor amendment that was designed to kill this bill. Please write your senators asking for them to pass this bill while rejecting Senator Gould's Floor Amendment. This needs to happen ASAP, like before Monday Morning so all Senators can be reached and know our opinion!!!

Here is a sample (Please change it into your own words as much as possible):

"Senator ________:



Please help the Arizona Off Highway Vehicle Coalition and many other off-road clubs and individuals promote safe, responsible and environmentally sound off-highway recreation in Arizona by voting yes for HB 2443. HB 2443 is the product of a collaberative effort by a very broad-based group of stakeholders to ensure that the OHV industry that contributes hundreds of millions of dollars to the Arizona economy on an annual basis continues to be a vibrant part of our growing state in all of the most positive ways.



To this end, we also respectfully request that you reject the proposed Gould Floor amendment which is simply designed to kill this very important and broadly supported legislation. Thank you very much for your time and your thoughtful consideration.



Very truly yours,



Your name_________________

Your club if any_____________

[RokNRich]

How about some information on the bill ? This has come up several times and if I recall correctly, WE called for killing the bill the last time. What makes this version acceptable ?

Seriously, just asking, no reason to jump down my throat.

[My1stJeep]

RokNRich

Last year the bill presented did not have any accountability for the funds spent and put all the funds into one organizations hands (Game and Fish). No matter what organization we are talking about, putting funds in any groups hands without accountability is not a wise decision. In addition all the measures the OHV community and law enforcement and much of the land management organizations in Arizona were sure to put in the previous versions were stripped out as it passed through. IN affect previous versions were a shell that would not be affective, one land management group would have received all the funds without any accountability.

This new bill has spread the funds out, Game and Fish recieve additional funds, but not all. I am not sure, maybe Sandee can chime in to define the exact percentages of who gets what. It also has an accountability portion, and if I am remembering correctly (mind still working on the FJ Travel Plans) if you can't account for it, your group will lose its funds to be distributed amongst the other groups. In its current state (without Senator Gould's floor amendment) we get what we need to add additional law enforcement, have accountability for the funds created by the program and there will be funds for education and promotion of responsible OHV use. This current version without the floor amendment is the best bill for OHV that has made it to this point.

I hope this helps answer your question, if not let me know. No problem, not going to jump down anyone's throat, it is a valid question.

[Andrew F]

I compiled list of all the email addresses list on the link. The best we can do is voice our opinion to our government leaders. Hopefully, many of you will take this email list and ask these representatives to help us see this bill through.

Take the list bellow and copy and paste it into your send line. Write up a short letter like one presented above. Help make sure that the hard work of those who have been representing our community does not go to waste.

paboud@azleg.gov, aaguirre@azleg.gov, callen@azleg.gov, marzberger@azleg.gov, tbee@azleg.gov, rblendu@azleg.gov, jflake@azleg.gov, kcheuvront@azleg.gov, mburtoncahill@azleg.gov, rburns@azleg.gov, jharper@azleg.gov, jhuppenthal@azleg.gov, jgarcia@azleg.gov, pgorman@azleg.gov, rgould@azleg.gov, lgray@azleg.gov, ahale@azleg.gov, jharper@azleg.gov, cgray@azleg.gov, cpesquiera@azleg.gov, rrios@azleg.gov, to'halleran@azleg.gov, rmiranda@azleg.gov, dmccunedavis@azleg.gov, bleff@azleg.gov, llandrumtaylor@azleg.gov, kjohnson@azleg.gov, jwaring@azleg.gov, tverschoor@azleg.gov, jtibshraeny@azleg.gov, vsoltero@azleg.gov

[Stomper]

Sent my e-mails earlier today. Hopefully we are successful.

[RokNRich]

Found some info on the bill. first is from the State

http://www.azleg.state.az.us/DocumentsForBill.asp?Bill_Number=HB2443


Background



The Arizona Off-Highway Vehicle Program was created by the Legislature in 1991 to manage off-highway vehicle (OHV) use in Arizona. The legislation defined the parameters for off-highway vehicle use in Arizona and created an OHV Recreation Fund to be used to meet the needs of OHV recreation. The OHV Recreation Fund receives 0.55 percent of the state motor vehicle fuel tax revenue. The Arizona Game and Fish Department (Game and Fish) uses 30 percent of the yearly accumulation for information, education and law enforcement activities. The remaining 70 percent is administered by the Arizona State Parks Board to meet the needs of land managers and recreational OHV users.

Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Fund (Fund)



12. Eliminates matching monies from federal, state, local or private entities from the eligible sources of monies in the Fund.



13. Authorizes the Game and Fish to spend 35 percent of the monies in the Fund for information and educational programs and law enforcement activities related to OHV use, including seven full-time employees (FTEs) to enforce OHV regulations.



14. Authorizes the SLD to use 5 percent of the monies in the Fund for costs associated with OHV use of lands within its jurisdiction, to mitigate damage to the land, for necessary environmental, historical and cultural clearance or compliance activities and to fund enforcement of OHV laws.



15. Allows OHV users with indicia to cross state trust land on existing roads, trails and designated routes after obtaining a permit from the SLD.



16. States that an OHV operator must follow all rules and requirements under a state trust land recreational permit if that person will be crossing state trust land.



17. Modifies the allocation of monies available to the State Parks Board from the Fund to 60 percent rather than 75 percent, to be used as follows:

a) up to 12 percent to administer the Fund (from 18 percent).

b) establishment of an off highway vehicle program.

c) designation, construction, maintenance, management and land acquisition for OHV recreation facilities, OHV use areas and OHV trails.

d) enforcement of OHV laws.

e) establishment of OHV related informational and environmental education programs.

f) mitigation of damages to land.

g) OHV related environmental educational information, signage and maps.






Second is the Sierra Clubs position paper, (they are neutral)


http://arizona.sierraclub.org/political_action/tracker/HB2443.html

[My1stJeep]

Yes the SC can't speak out for or against it. If they speak for it, they would show support for OHV use, which is just not going to happen. If they speak out against it they would burn alot of bridges since this is something we are supporting and it really helps police ourselves.

[AZG23]

sent.....thanks for the effort guys n gals

[Antman]

Mine is sent also. To all of them!

[Mdub]

I've contacted the appropriate legislators as well. Gould = scumbag. :D

[Antman]

Geez how many threads on this are there? BTW the amendment died!

From: Tom O'Halleran
Date: 4/25/2007 9:21:23 AM
To: Bill Witt
Subject: RE: URGENT HB 2443


Bill:

We defeated the amendment and the bill has moved to third read.

Tom

[AzCoyote]

If this is already dead then AZ Game and Fish needs to get on the ball...
I just got this from them last night in email...


Off-Highway Recreational Bill heads to Senate floor for crucial vote
Contact your Senator today and ask them to support HB 2443
House Bill 2443, the Off-Highway Recreational Bill, will head to the Arizona Senate floor shortly for a critical vote to improve off-highway vehicle (OHV) recreation and management in Arizona. At this stage in the legislative process, it is vital to contact your senators and ask them to continue to support HB 2443. To locate and contact individual senators, visit azleg.gov/memberroster. To read the full text of HB 2443, visit the Arizona State Legislature Web site at azleg.gov/bills. Also, visit the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Web site, azgfd.gov, for more information on the bill.
The bill is supported not only by the Arizona Game and Fish commission but by a broad and diverse coalition comprised of sportsmen clubs and organizations, OHV recreationists, outdoor user groups, law enforcement agencies and county and local governments.
House Bill 2443:
• Would bolster resources for OHV management, including trails and facilities, access, law enforcement, education, safety and mitigation for damage.
• Would create a small, annual flat fee for a license plate for off-highway vehicle use.
• Would enact new laws that will better protect Arizona’s natural resources from inappropriate use of OHVs.
• Would expand safety standards.
• Would improve equipment standards, such as muffler and sound requirements.
• Would dramatically reduce the current Vehicle License Tax to just $3. This tax allows properly equipped all-terrain cycles (dirt bikes), all-terrain vehicles (quads), and utility vehicles on streets and highways.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, or disability in its programs and activities. If anyone believes that they have been discriminated against in any of the AGFD’s programs or activities, including employment practices, they may file a complaint with the Deputy Director, 2221 W. Greenway Rd. Phoenix, AZ 85023, (602) 942-3000, or with the Fish and Wildlife Service, 4040 N. Fairfax Dr. Ste. 130, Arlington, VA 22203. Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation or this document in an alternative format by contacting the Deputy Director as listed above.

[Antman]

No it's not dead. Just the Gould amendment was defeated that was attached to it.

[offroadaz]

nice, looks like we made a difference :)

[My1stJeep]

Actually I talked with my representatives assistant this morning, as well as Sandee. The bill was removed from third read today as they had the votes necessary to kill it all together, unless of course those who were going to vote it down got their way with the amendment attached. Several are working hard to change some minds and it will be coming up for a third read soon, I believe next Tuesday. However that can change daily.

We really need to ban together, sending the emails is good, however when I called my rep they were not going through, the email box was full and I was not getting a bounce message. The call then became veyr important.

For those in Blendu's district, he is currenlty one of those opposing the bill, we need to get on the ball here in Surprise and talk with him.

Please remember to be respectful when being firm, harsh words are only going to hurt us. Talk with respect, rely on the merits of the bill (adding law enforcement, education, self funding, not drawing on the state general fund) as reason for it. Taking the time to follow up on your emails with a phone call shows your senator just how much this means to you, so please take the time and give them a call.