OFF THE WIRE
Posted By BikersPost
BOISE – Legislation to ban “motorcycle profiling” in Idaho won strong
support from the House Judiciary Committee this afternoon, as members
praised the bill’s backers and voted unanimously to send the measure to
the full House.
“This is the people’s house, and you are welcome
any time, as is anybody who wants to come in and address their
government,” Rep. Christy Perry, R-Nampa, told the big crowd of
motorcycle enthusiasts as she moved to approve the bill.
Rep.
Robert Anderst, R-Nampa, told the committee, “Today I’m presenting to
you not just as a bill sponsor but as an advocate. For most of my life
I’ve been in and around the motorcycling community.”
The bill, HB
123, defines “motorcycle profiling” as “the arbitrary use of the fact
that a person rides a motorcycle or wears motorcycle-related
paraphernalia as a factor in deciding to stop and question, take
enforcement action, arrest or search a person or vehicle,” and forbids
it.
“For years the motorcycle community has been working to
propose legislation related to profiling stops,” Anderst said. “What you
have before you today is a simple bill that addresses this issue.”
David
“Double D” Devereaux of the Motorcycle Profiling Project traveled from
Tacoma to speak in favor of the bill; Washington was the first state to
ban motorcycle profiling in 2011, followed by Maryland. Advocates in
Washington report that complaints of profiling have dropped by 90
percent since the law passed.
“There is no downside,” Devereaux
told the Idaho lawmakers. “HB 123 simply prohibits motorcycle profiling.
… It has no fiscal impact. … It also reduces the state’s exposure to
civil liability.”
He said the bill passed unanimously in both
those states, and won the support of law enforcement. “It helps repair
the relationship between the biking community and law enforcement,”
Devereaux said. “This bill just works. … It’s also very consistent with
both the federal constitution and the Idaho constitution.”
Lane
Triplett of the Idaho Coalition for Motorcycle Safety also spoke in
support of the bill, calling it “a good beginning,” and saying, “There
are but a few who engage in the practice of profiling.”
Anderst
said, “This bill is about the future, not the past. Instead of lining
people up to share their stories, the goal today is to take a step
toward improving the relationship between law enforcement and the
motorcycle community, not hurting it.”
Rep. Karey Hanks, R-St.
Anthony, complimented the group on its strong turnout in support of the
bill; backers waited quietly in the packed committee room for over an
hour before their bill came up.
Hanks called it “a great
outpouring of support,” and said, “We have several bills that we’d like
to have people come and support. … I do commend you for coming in
support of this, this is great.”
Rep. Melissa Wintrow, D-Boise, said, “I do not like profiling of anyone.”
Anderst
said, “We definitely aren’t the caricature sensationalized on TV. Just
like any large group, we are made up of individuals … tradesmen to
attorneys, truckers to clergy – even a few legislators. What I can say
is that the vast majority are hardworking, productive members of society
who want to be left alone.”
Read more: http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2017/feb/21/idaho-house-panel-unanimously-backs-motorcycle-pro/
