Hi,

Please read the info below that Terry put together and help by contacting your legislator and/or showing up to the hearing.

We need to keep the MOST program in Colorado.
------------------------------------------------------------

Motorcyclists there is an important issue happening at the Capitol November 7th and possibly beyond. I don't know how many of you are aware of the Motorcycle Operators Safety Training (MOST) program and how it works. For those of you that don't here's a quick lesson.

The program was established in 1990. Motorcyclists worked with the Legislature to impose fees upon our registration and licensing to create a fund to assist with rider training in Colorado. We even went back to the Legislature in 2006 to raise the fees. Each of us pay an additional $4 on our registration every year and when we renew our driver's license we pay an additional $2. These fees are collected and put into the MOST program to offset training costs to CO residents and military. Every training company that works under MOST gets a subsidy per student to reduce the costs of the courses offered. The amount varies from year to year dependent upon how much money is in the fund. There have been some issues with the program. Until recently it was not well managed. ABATE tried to correct some issues Legislatively in 2010. The bill was ultimately defeated by competing training companies and a faction of motorcyclists. It did result in an Audit of the MOST program which was completed last week and heard by the Legislative Audit Committee. There were several recommendations (surprisingly familiar to what ABATE asked for in 2010) that should be implemented in the program. There was also a recommendation to close the program. The Audit Committee voted to draft a bill to close the program.

ABATE's members have chosen to fight to preserve the MOST program with the other recommendations implemented and we need your help if you agree with us!! When the Audit Committee meets again November 7th they will vote whether to move the bill forward to shut down MOST or they will kill the bill. We'd like to convince them to kill the bill. There is still a chance that another Legislator will decide to introduce a bill in 2012. We will compose a plan of action if that happens.

If you feel this program is valuable to Colorado and want to help us here is what you can do. Contact these Legislators and tell them we want to keep the MOST program.

This is our first group to hit hard and heavy with emails, phone calls...etc. Thank the ones that voted no on the draft legislation...still send them out. ABATE will be visiting them in person in the coming weeks.

Rep. Cindy Acree - 303-866-2944
E-mail: cindy.acree.house@state.co.us

Rep Deb Gardner - 303-866-2780 Thank you for the support
E-mail: deb.gardner.house@state.co.us

Rep Jim Kerr - 303-866-2939
E-mail: james.kerr.house@state.co.us

Rep Joe Miklosi - 303-866-2910
E-mail: joe@joemiklosi.com

Senator Scott Renfroe - 303-866-4451
E-mail: senatorrenfroe@gmail.com

Senator Steve King - 303-866-3077
E-mail: steve.king.senate@state.co.us

Senator Lucia Guzman - 303-866-4862 Thank you for the support
E-mail: lucia.guzman.senate@state.co.us

Senator Lois Tochtrop - 303-866-4863 Thank you for the support (she is a huge friend to motorcyclists)
E-mail: lotochtrop@aol.com

If you have more questions shoot me a pm or call me 303-789-3264. Thanks for your help. REMEMBER this is NOT a government imposed program, motorcyclists of Colorado imposed this program!! It's OUR money not the general taxpayers!!!



ABATE of Colorado
4725 Paris St Suite #250, Denver, CO 80239 303-789-3264

PRESERVE THE MOST PROGRAM!!!

You will find outlined simple points that need to be taken into consideration with the MOST (Motorcycle Operator Safety Training) program.

-First and foremost: this program is paid for by motorcyclists, not the general public ref (C.R.S. 43-5-504, also 42-2-114 (2) (b) and (4) (b), 42-2-118 (1) (b) (II) and 42-3-304 (4)), by our own choice. Motorcyclists initiated the extra fees to help further rider training. In fact we went to the Legislature again in 2006 to increase the fees.

-Second: “The intent of the statute is that the Department of Transportation (CDOT) use Motorcycle Operator Safety Training Funds to establish, administer, promote, provide motorist awareness programs, and participate in the costs of the Program, so that Motorcycle Safety training would be more accessible to a greater percentage of Colorado consumers and would be less costly to consumers, thereby enabling more persons to enroll in and complete such safety training.” Verbatim from the MOST Rules and Regulations


What happens if MOST is shut down?

• Funding which cannot be transferred to any other fund would be eliminated that would have been used to educate new and existing riders resulting in a savings of $4 to $6 per year per motorcyclist
• Cost of training will increase, making courses less affordable in a poor economy, increasing the number of untrained riders on the roads of Colorado
• More self-taught riders and less safety knowledge
• Some training schools will go out of business, making training less accessible especially in rural, underserved areas of Colorado.
• DOR will need more staff to provide/administer testing due to reduction of training schools increasing the fiscal impact to the state budget
• Substandard safety training provided due to no oversight
• Possible reduction in Federal funds for motorcycle safety and awareness campaigns making the motoring public less aware of motorcyclists
• There will be an increase in motorcycle related accidents/fatalities (studies indicate a reduction in accidents/fatalities due to rider training)

Why do the motorcyclists of Colorado want to keep this program?
• This is a safety program that teaches proper riding gear, techniques, braking, accident avoidance, etc.
• We pay for it
• It helps reduce the cost of training classes so more riders will get training
• It provides mobile training to outlying areas of the state
• It is an integral part of assured Federal highway funds for Motorcycle Safety and Awareness funds in CO
• It oversees the schools/companies and instructors providing classes to assure approved curriculum and safety measures are followed
• It reduces accidents/fatalities by putting more trained riders on the road
• Education will make a rider safer and more skilled

Give CDOT and the MOST program with a Legislative Appointed Task Force (stakeholders) 2 years to implement the recommendations provided by the Audit and re-write the Rules and Regulations. Give the motorcyclists of Colorado (your constituents) a chance to make this an effective viable program. Please SUPPORT the preservation of MOST.