BMW Bikers of Metropolitan Washington

ABATEMD: House Bill 827 - Right-of-Way Penalties - Hearing Completed

The hearing for the Right-of-Way Violation Penalties (HB 827) bill was
conducted on March 6, 2007 in the House of Delegates Environmental Matters
Committee hearing room. Hearings started at 1 PM and HB 827 was the second
bill heard.

HB 827 seeks to impose additional penalties when a right-of-way violation
results in an injury or fatality. Those who testified for the bill covered
topics that included a summary of the bill, its legislative history,
fundamental statistics regarding right-of-way violations, and the disparity
in the consequences for the violating driver and the accident victim. The
testimony also included presentations from several motorcycle riders and
family members who have experienced first-hand the tragic consequences
caused by these types of accidents.

There were several Maryland Department of Transportation representatives who
attended the hearing and testimony was provided supporting the bill with an
amendment. The recommended amendment would clarify the terminology for
'serious bodily injury'. In particular, either change the term 'serious
bodily injury' to the more familiar term 'personal injury' or add the term
'personal injury' as a third category. The rationale for the recommended
change is to make accounting for and tracking the charges from the traffic
citation, through the courts and ultimately to the Motor Vehicle
Administration (MVA) more accurate. It is likely that the amendment will be
drafted and accepted.

During the testimony, a significant oversight in the bill's accompanying
fiscal note was identified. A representative from MVA was instrumental in
clarifying this information so it could be included as part of the ABATE of
Maryland testimony. The missing component was that no number was provided
to quantify the claim that "General fund revenues could increase
significantly due to the bill's penalty provisions for those cases heard in
the District Court." It is estimated that the missing revenue value would
be approximately $1,188,000 in the first year and may increase in subsequent
years. This would make the net effect for the state positive rather than
negative.

No testimony was presented opposing the bill and we are not aware of any
opposing written testimony.

The next step is to achieve a favorable vote in the committee for HB 827.
Now is the time to contact your local representatives and the members of the
Environmental Matters committee and let them know that you want them to vote
YES on HB 827.

House of Delegates Environmental Matters Committee members are listed below.
Contact the committee members and ask them to vote for HB 827. Committee
members who are a sponsor of the bill are marked with an asterisk (*).

Maggie L.McIntosh, Chair (410) 841-3990, (301) 858-3990,
e-mail: maggie_mcintosh@house.state.md.us (Baltimore City)

James E. Malone, Jr., Vice-Chair (410) 841-3378, (301) 858-3378,
e-mail: james_malone@house.state.md.us (Baltimore & Howard)

Saquib Ali, (410) 841-3021, (301) 858-3021
e-mail: saqib.ali@house.state.md.us (Montgomery)

Pamela G. Beidle, (410) 841-3370, (301) 858-3370
e-mail: pamela.beidle@house.state.md.us (Anne Arundel)

Elizabeth Bobo, (410) 841-3205, (301) 858-3205
e-mail: elizabeth.bobo@house.state.md.us (Howard)

* Joseph C. Boteler III, (410) 841-3365, (301) 858-3365
e-mail: joseph.boteler@house.state.md.us (Baltimore)

* Rudolph C. Cane, (410) 841-3427, (301) 858-3427,
e-mail: rudolph_cane@house.state.md.us (Dorchester & Wicomico)

Virginia P. Clagett, (410) 841-3211, (301) 858-3211
e-mail: virginia.clagett@house.state.md.us (Anne Arundel)

Barbara A. Frush, (410) 841-3114, (301) 858-3114
e-mail: barbara.frush@house.state.md.us (Anne Arundel & Prince George's)

Barry Glassman, (410) 841-3289, (301) 858-3289,
e-mail: barry_glassman@house.state.md.us (Harford)

Cheryl D. Glenn, (410) 841-3257, (301) 858-3257
e-mail: cheryl.glenn@house.state.md.us (Baltimore City)

Anne Healey, (410) 841-3961, (301) 858-3961
e-mail: anne.healey@house.state.md.us (Prince George's)

* Marvin E. Holmes, Jr., (410) 841-3310, (301) 858-3310
e-mail: marvin.holmes@house.state.md.us (Prince George's)

Tom Hucker, (410) 841-3474, (301) 858-3474
e-mail: tom.hucker@house.state.md.us (Montgomery)

Stephen W. Lefferty (410) 841-3487, (301) 858-3487
e-mail: stephen.lafferty@house.state.md.us (Baltimore)

Jane E. Lawton, (410) 841-3638, (301) 858-3638
e-mail: jane.lawton@house.state.md.us (Montgomery)

Doyle L. Niemann, (410) 841-3326, (301) 858-3326
e-mail: doyle.niemann@house.state.md.us (Prince George's)

* Anthony J. O'Donnell, (301) 858-3314, (410) 841-3314
e-mail: anthony.odonnell@house.state.md.us (Calvert & St Mary's)

* Tanya Thornton Shewell, (410) 841-3371, (301) 858-3371
e-mail: tanya.shewell@house.state.md.us (Carroll)

* Richard A. Sossi, (410) 841-3543, (301) 858-3543
e-mail: richard_sossi@house.state.md.us (Caroline, Cecil, Kent, & Queen
Anne's)

Dana M. Stein, (410) 841-3527, (301) 858-3527
e-mail: dana.stein@house.state.md.us (Baltimore)

* Paul S. Stull, (410) 841-3107, (301) 858-3107,
e-mail: paul_stull@house.state.md.us (Frederick)

* Michael H. Weir, Jr., (410) 841-3328, (301) 858-3328,
e-mail: michael_weir@house.state.md.us (Baltimore)

Address letters to:
Lowe House Office Building
84 College Ave.
Annapolis, MD 21401

Bill Information (House):
http://mlis.state.md.us/2007rs/billfile/hb0827.htm

Obtain information about members of the House of Delegates via this link:
http://www.mdarchives.state.md.us/msa/mdmanual/06hse/html/hse.html

Locate your legislators via this link:
http://mdelect.net/

Contact your legislators via this link:
http://www.mlis.state.md.us/cgi-win/mail32.exe

ABATE of Maryland, Inc.
http://www.abate-of-maryland.org
mdabate@erols.com
_________________
Todd and Christy
78' R100/7 Black
02' R1150RS Silver
97' F650ST Orange