CALL TO ACTION - Help ABATE of Florida's Stiffer Penalties Bill in Florida's House of Representatives!!!

Deland, March 23, 2011 - Although ABATE of Florida, Inc. members have been busy calling and e-mailing Florida Representative Drake to get our "Stiffer Penalties" Bill, HB 403, on the agenda of the House Transportation and Highway Safety Subcommittee, at this point he has not placed it to be heard. We all know how important it is to get HB 403 heard and passed by this committee, because if not, it will die regardless of what happens in the Florida Senate with its version.

ABATE of Florida's Lobbyist, Doc Reichenbach, is busy up in Tallahasee with talks generating additional support for our Bill. Even though our Bill has a lot of support, we can still do a big part by keeping the phones busy and e-mails flying. Darrin "Scribe" Brooks, ABATE's Legislative Trustee, mentioned that he has been told by many legislators' offices this week they have been contacted by several ABATE members about supporting our Bill.

We have asked a lot from the ABATE membership over the past two weeks, but we need your help again! This time we need to focus our calls on the OTHER members of the House Transportation and Highway Safety Subcommittee. If we can get enough people to call and e-mail them about HB 403, maybe they will convince Rep. Drake to put our Bill on the Subcommittee's agenda so the bikers will stop calling!

When contacting the Representatives, here's an example of what to say; “My name is ______, I am a member of ABATE of Florida, the state's largest motorcyclists' rights organization. I am calling to ask for Rep. ____ help with HB 403. It is scheduled to go to the House Transportation and Highway Safety Subcommittee, however, we are having trouble getting it placed onto the Subcommittee's agenda. I was hoping that since Rep. _____ is a member of that committee they could help us get it heard. Thank you very much.”

Scribe said that most of the Representatives' offices he spoke with stated they already know about ABATE and our Lobbyist, which shows some of the presence we have at Florida's capital. One Representative from the Jacksonville area said they already knew about our Bill from the ABATE members visiting him recently.

Here are the House Transportation and Highway Safety Subcommittee Members and what area they are from. Please give them a call and drop them an email asking them to get our HB403 put on the committee's agenda to be heard ASAP!

Subcommittee Member Email Phone # Area
Rep. Irving Slosberg irving.slosberg@myfloridahouse.gov 850.488.1302 Boca Raton
Rep. Janet Adkins janet.adkins@myfloridahouse.gov 850-488-6920 Fernandina Beach
Rep. Larry Ahern larry.ahern@myfloridahouse.gov 850-488-6197 St. Pete
Rep. Ben Albritton ben.albritton@myfloridahouse.gov 850-488-9465 Bartow
Rep. Frank Artiles frank.artiles@myfloridahouse.gov 850-488-9550 Miami
Rep. Lori Berman lori.berman@myfloridahouse.gov 850-488-1662 Delray Beach
Rep. Doug Broxson doug.broxson@myfloridahouse.gov 850-488-8188 Milton
Rep. Jeff Clemens jeff.clemens@myfloridahouse.gov 850-488-0260 Lake Worth
Rep. Mike Horner mike.horner@myfloridahouse.gov 850-488-8992 Kissimmee
Rep. Peter Nehr peter.nehr@myfloridahouse.gov 850-488-5580 Tarpon Springs
Rep. Darryl Rouson darryl.rouson@myfloridahouse.gov 850-488-0925 St. Pete
Rep. Richard Steinberg richard.steinberg@myfloridahouse.gov 850-488-0690 Miami Beach
Rep. Mike Weinstein mike.weinstein@myfloridahouse.gov 850-488-1304 Jacksonville

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ABATE of Florida's Stiffer Penalties Bill's Progress in the Florida Senate (SB608)

SB 608 continues to roll through the Senate as it passes the Senate Criminal Justice Committee with a vote of 5 – 0. ABATE of Florida's Lobbyist recently testified again before the committee. You can listen to the pod-cast of the meeting at http://www.flsenate.gov/Committees/Show/CJ; click on the pod cast link for the 3/22/2011 meeting. Our Bill comes up at the 1 hour and 9 minute mark in the program, so you may just skip to that section if you wish.

Doc said that the Senators commented that they have received HUNDREDS of calls from ABATE members about this bill. Our voice is being heard in the Senate and we thank each one of you that have called and/or sent an e-mail to the legislators. We have to keep this ball rolling until our Bill finally passes.

After that, we can start calling the Governor!!!

SB 608 will now be heard in the Senate Budget Committee. This committee is HUGE with 20 Senators sitting on it, so there is a good chance that your Senator will be on this one. As you know, a constituent calling to ask for support carries a little more weight.

Here are the Members of the Senate Budget Committee. Let's let them hear our voice!!!

Sen. JD Alexander (Chair)
alexander.jd.web@flsenate.gov
850-487-5044

Sen. Joe Negron (Vice Chair)
Negron.joe.web@flsenate.gov
850-487-5088

Sen. Thad Altman
altman.thad.web@flsenate.gov
850-487-5053

Sen. Lizbeth Benacquisto
benacquisto.lizbeth.web@flsenate.gov
850-487-5356

Sen. Ellyn Bogdanoff
bogdanoff.ellyn.web@flsenate.gov
850-487-5100

Sen. Mike Fasano
fasano.mike.web@flsenate.gov
850-487-5062

Sen. Anitere Flores
flores.anitere.web@flsenate.gov
850-487-5130

Sen. Don Gaetz
gaetz.don.web@flsenate.gov
850-487-5009

Sen. Alan Hays
hays.alan.web@flsenate.gov
850-487-5014

Sen. Arthenia Joyner
joyner.arthenia.web@flsenate.gov
850-487-5059

Sen. Evelyn Lynn
lynn.evelyn.web@flsenate.gov
850-487-5033

Sen. Gwen Margolis
margolis.gwen.web@flsenate.gov
850-487-5121

Sen. Bill Montford
montford.bill.web@flsenate.gov
850-487-5004

Sen. Nan Rich
rich.nan.web@flsenate.gov
850-487-5103

Sen. Garrett Richter
richter.garrett.web@flsenate.gov
850-487-5124

Sen. David Simmons
simmons.david.web@flsenate.gov
850-487-5050

Sen. Gary Siplin
siplin.gary.web@flsenate.gov
850-487-5190

Sen. Eleanor Sobel
sobel.eleanor.web@flsenate.gov
850-487-5097

Sen. John Thrasher
thrasher.john.web@flsenate.gov
850-487-5030

Sen. Stephan Wise
wise.stephan.web@flsenate.gov
850-487-5027