Senate File 2001 to be reviewed THURSDAY Jan 22nd!!!

Wed January 21 2004
Posted Jan 21, 2004
1,401

LAST MINUTE UPDATES!!!!

[last updated Jan 22 7:17 a.m.] Everything is still a go! If you can make it - Show up and help us Defeat the Bill! I understand with the weather today if many cyclists don't ride. Let's get a showing of cyclists to ride from Sec Taylor Stadium to the statehouse (State Capitol). Finalized time - LEAVE Sec Taylor at 10:00 am, and arrive at statehouse shortly there after, lobby and make our presence known. If you cannot ride, Take a long lunch and PLEASE show up with helmets in hand shortly before 11:00 am! Cannot come? Still make a Phone call to your senator in the morning, Send an email! Send a Fax! Find your legislators here: http://staffweb.legis.state.ia.us/find-leg/. If you already know who they are... find their e-mail here: http://www2.legis.state.ia.us/GA/79GA/Senate/Members/02Senate.txt Please send emails to biker@bikeiowa.com if you have other ideas of more info!

Senate File 2001 (formerly known as 5129SS), the bill that would prohibit bicycling on four-lane highways when a bike path is nearby, comes up for consideration THURSDAY (that's tomorrow Jan 22nd 2004). The bill will be considered by the Senate Transportation committee at 11 a.m. in Room 24 at the statehouse. Room 24 is behind the Senate chamber. The hearing is open to the public for observation, but it is up to the bill's sponsor, Sen. John Putney (R-Gladbrook) and the committee's chairman., Sen. Richard Drake (R-Muscatine) whether members of the public can testify at the hearing. However, there's nothing stopping you from lobbying individual committee members before or after the hearing. There is also nothing stopping you from calling or e-mailing your senator - before the hearing with your concerns. Call the senate at (515) 281-3371 and ask to speak to your senator. You usually leave a message and they (really do) call back. Even if your senator isn't on the committee, he/she can convey your concerns to a member. That carries more weight than you might think. There's so much professional lobbying going on up on the hill, genuine citizen input makes a big impression. A full list of the committee members, and links to their districts and individual senator pages and e-mail addresses, is at: http://www3.legis.state.ia.us/ga/committee.do?id=14 Richard F. Drake (R, District 40), Chair John Putney (R, District 20), Vice Chair Matt McCoy (D, District 31), Ranking Member Daryl Beall (D, District 25) Dick L. Dearden (D, District 34) Gene Fraise (D, District 46) Hubert Houser (R, District 49) Stewart E. Iverson, Jr. (R, District 5) David Johnson (R, District 3) Kitty Rehberg (R, District 12) Doug Shull (R, District 37) Steve Warnstadt (D, District 1) Mark Zieman (R, District 8) I would strongly, strongly encourage at least a handful to make a show of things by cycling to the statehouse and attending the hearing in biking gear -- not to be disruptive, but to make the point that cyclists are genuinely interested in this. It would make an attractive news story also, with the widespread interest in Iowa in cycling and in Ragbrai. You don't need to ride from Ames or someplace, maybe park at Sec Taylor (I-Cubs) and ride from there. We are working on calling the TV folks and The Register.