Veteran's License Plate-Both House and Senate bills are on the way to the governor's desk for his signature. I would urge you to write Governor Holden and ask that he sign those bills.

Clutch's Law or failure to yield-In the final two weeks, everyone is Jeff City woke up and decided there were a couple of things wrong with this bill. While it was all fixable and substitute language was made ready, in the final weeks, Senator Westfall decided that Clutch's Law was too controversial and might derail the other legislation on the bill. To make amends with the "bikers" a provision was added to the bill that would allow $1.00 for every criminal-related traffic offense to go to the Missouri Motorcycle Safety Program. This doesn't sound like a lot, but if you figure that there were 35,000 DUI tickets written in Missouri last year, along with other criminal offenses, that's not exactly pennies. So, while we did not get the failure to yield bill passed, there will be monies going to MMSP.

Helmet bills-After passing both Transportation Committees, our legislation on this issue was effectively stuck in a drawer and never thought of again. We knew that Senator Westfall, as Chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee would not let our bill see a full vote on the Senate floor, we expected more from the House Transportation Committee chairman, Representative Don Koller. Mr. Koller dropped us in favor of a transportation package that is headed for the governor's desk and then to the people in the August elections.

While we did not receive everything we wanted out of this legislative session, we have been effective in passing two clean pieces of legislation and one-shall we say-unwanted, but nevertheless helpful, compromise.

Our most important goal right now is elections. With 63 House members and 17 Senate leaders term-limited out, we can affect the makeup of both chambers of the General Assembly for the next two years and beyond. It is very important that we stand strong and elect our friends this November, starting with the primary election in August. We will be asking each of you to make a difference in Jefferson City for 2003 and beyond. We won't be able to do it without you and will expect you to step up to the plate and help us again. Get to know the people running for office. Let us know where they stand. We'll get the word out in a voter's guide, but you must do the legwork.

Freedom of Road Riders (R) Inc., of Missouri is a not-for-profit motorcycle safety education organization dedicated to safety, brotherhood, and freedom for all motorcyclists on any type of motorcycle. For more information about FORR go to www.forr.net. For more information about elections or legislative matters, write to legislative@forr.net.