Attn Nebraska Motorcycle Owners

[Amipro]

The Nebraska Unicameral has introduced a bill that will force anyone who registers a motorcycle in Nebraska, to pay for a "Brain Injury Fund".

http://www.revzilla.com/common-tread/nebraska-helmet-legislation-raises-some-hard-questions?fb_action_ids=1120817044608546&fb_action_types=og.likes

You can read the bill here: http://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/Current/PDF/Intro/LB900.pdf
It also has provisions to repeal the current helmet law.

This may set a precedence for other states if it becomes law.

[stroguy]

Get rid of that kind of pap legislation. Singling out certain recreations to fund a tax drawer is low. I glanced the bill and see zero provisions against people that work in the hard hat business, zero provisions for football players and their parents, zero provisions for cagers who suffer more accidents that involve no helmet and brain injuries. Sir you have been infiltrated by some liberal bs that threatens your desired recreation.

Of course the retort will be........'but it's only a few dollars per sale'. Really, we'll still turn around and go pluck yourself.

[Injun Joe]

Honestly, the social burden aspect is a new one to me in that I hadn't taken it into consideration. But as a libertarian, I've long thought there should be no mandatory helmet laws. Neither should insurance companies have to pay out for head injuries that result. This will sound uber harsh, but neither should the state pay for injury care or long term post care. Choosing not to wear a helmet is a "pay to play" choice as far as I'm concerned.

[stroguy]

Yes Joe. It should be your choice to wear a helmet or a seatbelt or safety glasses when you cut steel or wear a hard hat in a construction area or wear fall arrest gear when climbing over 18'. But our conviction in this country to care for all, taxes our system when someone is injured and they do not have the resources to pay for the long term care that an injury does to that person. It's a tough place for legislators to be, no doubt. I have my hardest issue when legislators single out a certain sect to tax. It's blatant discrimination.

My second heartburn is why is the state in the brain injury study game? This is not where the state should be. This is a private issue and if the market dictates a profitable business can be had by studying brain injuries and creating a miracle cure then the market will dictate it. But the tax payers are having their monies sent to outside agencies to perform these studies. Seems like a long shot investment that NE will reduce traumatic brain injuries and their costs will be returned 10 years or 50 years down the road. History shows that once a tax is in place, it's pretty hard to eliminate it.

[willtill]

The Nebraska Unicameral has introduced a bill that will force anyone who registers a motorcycle in Nebraska, to pay for a "Brain Injury Fund".

http://www.revzilla.com/common-tread/nebraska-helmet-legislation-raises-some-hard-questions?fb_action_ids=1120817044608546&fb_action_types=og.likes



The below extracted from the above article:

Though motorcyclists would fund the Brain Injury Trust Fund, they would not be the only ones benefiting from it.

“The main purpose of the fund is to help meet the needs of individuals in Nebraska who suffer from a brain injury. This fund would be designed to help no matter the cause of the brain injury. The most common cause of such injuries in Nebraska is from unintentional falls, followed by motor vehicle accidents,”

Talk about demonizing one group; in order to compensate others... :icon_rolleyes: If they want to create a fund for this; EVERYONE should pay into it. Not just via registration of a motorcycle. Cars too.

[jaygollner]

Get rid of that kind of pap legislation. Singling out certain recreations to fund a tax drawer is low. I glanced the bill and see zero provisions against people that work in the hard hat business, zero provisions for football players and their parents, zero provisions for cagers who suffer more accidents that involve no helmet and brain injuries. Sir you have been infiltrated by some liberal bs that threatens your desired recreation.

Of course the retort will be........'but it's only a few dollars per sale'. Really, we'll still turn around and go pluck yourself.

Six of the seven sponsors of the bill are Republicans
Nebraska has 37 Republican party members 11 Democratic party members and 1 Independent.

[114th COBRA]

The main thing that pisses me off with this type of tax legislation, is that the funds inevitably get diverted to other political causes instead of for what it was enacted. We see this all the time. And I agree that if such legislation is passed, it should be paid by all of the tax paying populace, not just motorcyclist.

[jm21ddd15]

The main thing that pisses me off with this type of tax legislation, is that the funds inevitably get diverted to other political causes instead of for what it was enacted. We see this all the time. And I agree that if such legislation is passed, it should be paid by all of the tax paying populace, not just motorcyclist.
I agree with you. 1st, they take some of the $$ so they can set up the new Regulatory area and hire some more people, They after the money builds up, some legislature decides to try and tap into it, for some other bullcr.... They keep trying that in Wisconsin, to take money from the DNR, to spend on their "pet" projects. Makes us hunters and fisherman mad as H!
If I remember correctly, Nebraska is a "Mandatory Helmet" state. Someone in their government wants to eat ALL the cake. Helmets and a tax? Bullsh--!! JMO

[Amipro]

Yup, everyone is pretty spot on with their posts.

I have written 2 emails to my senator (who happens to co-sponsor the bill) but have not received a reply. I called his office but he was in committee. I let his assistant know exactly how I feel about this bill, and urged him to tell the senator that I do not want this. One of the biggest problems is that you never know when a bill is up for ratification. Just because it is on the docket doesn't mean that it will be addressed.

If you live in NE please help. :banghead:

Everyone else, thank you for your support!

[stroguy]

http://www.transportation.nebraska.gov/nohs/pdf/mc4stats.pdf

From the Nebraska government. I cannot see any numbers that would cause a pos legislator to single out motorcycle recreation driving as the source for private studies. Tell your Governer to pull his head out of his azz.