Motorcycle Riders Foundation – 2022 Legislative Priorities
In November of 2021, Congress reauthorized many of the highway bill statutes until 2026. This process, which was delayed for over a year, now frees Congress to act on other transportation related priorities, left unaddressed in the highway bill. Issues like autonomous vehicles, profiling, fuel supply vs electric vehicles and changes to the tax system that funds future infrastructure spending will all likely gain the attention of lawmakers.
These topics, as well as others listed in our 2022 legislative agenda, remain key components of the Motorcycle Riders Foundation’s (MRF) mission. As always, we will look for opportunities to pass standalone bills that protect motorcyclists and work within larger bill to ensure our rights and priorities are protected. The 2022 legislative agenda remains robust and focused on issues that you as riders face every day.
At the 37th annual Meeting of the Minds Conference held in Atlanta, Georgia a Legislative Strategy Session was hosted by the MRF’s Legislative Committee. The purpose of the session was to establish and prioritize the MRF’s Federal Legislative Agenda for 2022. These priorities are categorized below. Note that at any time, an item may move to a different category depending on the likelihood of activity. This list should remain fluid and can be adaptable depending on the issue and political environment.
2022 HIGH PRIORITY OBJECTIVES
Profiling:
Sustain lobbying efforts for the passage of resolutions or legislation that promotes awareness and prohibition of motorcyclists profiling. Seek opportunities including, but not limited to H. Res 366, with language that:
- Promotes increased public awareness on the issue of profiling of motorcyclists.
- Encourages collaboration and communication with the motorcycling community and law enforcement to engage in efforts to end profiling of motorcyclists.
- Urges state law enforcement officials to include statements condemning profiling of motorcyclists in written policies and training materials.
- Outlaws the practice of profiling of motorcyclists.
Renewable Fuels:
Advocate for targeted changes to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) including the following actions:
- Support the universal availability of approved fuel blends, containing no more than 10 percent ethanol by volume.
- Promote additional research and independent studies concerning the effects of higher blends of renewable fuels on motorcycles.
- Ensure the availability of separate pumps (i.e., no multi-dispensing) to minimize the risk of damage to motorcycle engines where higher blend of renewable fuel blends is available.
- Sustain lobbying efforts for the passage of the Consumer Protection and Fuel Transparency Act of 2019 (H.R. 1024) or similar legislation which requires information to be provided to the public about the risks associated with the improper use of E15 fuel in certain vehicles, engines, and equipment. This legislation:
- Revises current EPA rule to include warning labeling requirements for fuel pumps that dispense E15.
- Requires the EPA to create a public education campaign about the risks of unauthorized use of E15 as well as the vehicles, engines and equipment prohibited from using E15.
- Defines multi-dispensing nozzle and requires an additional warning label on multi-dispensing nozzles to warn consumers of the residual fuel left in gasoline pump hoses from the previous individual dispensing.
Autonomous Vehicles:
Advocate and monitor any legislation or regulations related to motorcycles concerning connected and autonomous vehicles (AV):
- Endorse rulemaking to set new standards specific to seeing, detecting, and properly reacting to motorcycles.
- Ensure motorcycles are part of all testing and development procedures.
- Promote that any AV public user advisory committees should include a representative from the motorcycle community and a motorcycle manufacturer.
- Require a public, easily accessible, and searchable database where consumers can look up important safety information such as the limitations and capabilities of different products offered by AV manufacturers or service providers.
- Require that all AV manufacturers must submit safety evaluation reports to detail and make public how their vehicles identify motorcycles among other road users. Manufacturers must also include human error analysis in safety reports.
- Require that all AV manufacturers must publicly report crash data reporting incidents between AVs and motorcycles just as they would incidents between AVs and other road users.
- Protect the safety of motorcyclists with any rules or standards as it relates to electronic and cybersecurity systems including the clarification of rights of data ownership of any recorded data in the context of connected and autonomous vehicles.
- Inclusion of motorcyclists’ perspectives in discussions regarding the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS).
- Work to ensure motorcycles are a separate classification of vehicle and road user for purposes of regulation and testing of AVs.
- Protect the set aside radio spectrums necessary for DSRC vehicle to vehicle communications.
Emission Regulations:
Engage the EPA & Congress on any activity related to motorcycle emission regulations including the RPM ACT, H.R. 3281, S. 2736 or similar legislation.
Definition of a Motorcycle:
Educate policymakers and advocate for change to current definition that better reflects the current two and three-wheel motorcycle landscape. Collaborate with appropriate stakeholders concerning the federal definition of a motorcycle, ensuring that crash and fatality statistics continue to be separate from other classes of vehicles including autocycles, non-motorcycle powered vehicles such as mopeds, scooters, and various cabin-based steering wheel type vehicles.
Crash Avoidance:
Continue to promote the theme of crash avoidance versus safer crashing urging NHTSA and the DOT to focus on crash prevention and rider education.
Helmet Laws:
Oppose any mandatory federal helmet, apparel, or conspicuity standards. Advocate for limiting funding of any federal government entity with increasing involvement in advocating for a universal helmet law or similar initiatives.
Black Box / Data Recording:
Pursue legislative language that any collected or available vehicle data is the property of the consumer and in which the consumer has the choice to opt-out of having their personal data communicated to interested parties.
Surface Transportation Reauthorization (Highway Bill):
Advocate and pursue legislative efforts related to the next highway bill reauthorization (expiring in 2026). Ensure the following provisions are included:
- Preserve the Motorcycle Education & Awareness Program Grant Funding.
- Preserve the ban on federal funding for Motorcycle Only Checkpoints.
- Preserve the NHTSA Lobbying Ban and expand to other federal agencies.
- Preserve the Motorcycle Advisory Council (MAC) to advise the FHWA.
- Preserve motorcycles are not considered single-occupancy vehicles for HOV lane access.
- Oppose any motorcycling related federal blackmails or federal sanctions.
- Monitor for any action that would negatively impact motorcycles, motorcycling, and motorcyclists.
- Advocate the integration of an updated federal definition of a motorcycle.
- Advocate a mandate that autonomous vehicles must detect and respond to motorcycles.
- Advocate for expanding opportunities to address motorcyclist profiling.
- Ensure motorcycles are not banned from federally funded roads.
Combustion Engines:
Work to ensure the survival of combustion engines. Including elimination of the California air quality waivers which threaten combustion engine production.
2022 MEDIUM PRIORITY OBJECTIVES
Roadway Design:
Pursue safer roadway design strategies in federal infrastructure legislation or discussions (i.e., MAC).
Discriminatory Legislation:
Oppose any motorcycling, motorcycle, or motorcyclist-based discriminatory legislation or rules proposed by the U.S. Congress or by any governmental agency.
Vulnerable Roadway User Terminology:
Monitor and ensure that motorcycles and motorcyclists are a specific and unique category or classification.
Gang, Club and Other Language:
Monitor and respond to federal legislative or regulatory activity concerning the usage of the terms gang, club, known associate, and associate when referring to motorcyclists.
Taxes:
Encourage fair treatment of motorcyclist in any change to federal taxes related to transportation. Vehicle miles traveled and other tax proposals must account for the different impact motorcycles have on infrastructure.
2022 MONITOR ITEMS
Distracted Driving:
Work to discourage any/all forms of distracted driving.
Sound Testing:
- Monitor any SAE Motorcycle Roadside Sound Testing (addressed by individual states).
- Monitor any action by the EPA Office of Noise Abatement
International Partnerships:
Continue participation in motorcycle-related activity in the European Union, United Nations, and Canada informing the membership of key developments.
National Studies:
Continue monitoring any national studies concerning motorcycles (i.e., Federal Crash Causation Study or MSF Naturalistic Study).
Exhaust Systems:
Monitor and vigorously oppose any federal standard proposing stamping and certifying of motorcycle exhaust systems.
Opponents:
Monitor private and public organizations that oppose the legislative agenda or mission of the MRF.
Tolling:
- Monitor fair tolling concepts on federally funded roadways and projects supported by federal bonds.
- Monitor any congestion tolling concerning motorcyclists by federal, state, or local governmental agencies.
Lane Splitting:
Monitor and support federal efforts to study and review the benefits and concerns of lane splitting and lane filtering.
Emissions:
Monitor and report on any litigation related to motorcycle emissions violations.
Tariffs:
Monitor any tariffs on imported motorcycles, parts, or apparel.
Past Legislative Materials
2017 MRF Petition to the DOT For the MAC – Click to download a PDF of the signed petition to call on the Department of Transportation to Add Seats to the Motorcyclist Advisory Council for Motorcycle Riders’ Associations
2017 Bikers Inside the Beltway Issue Summaries – Click to download a PDF of the Issue Summaries supplied to MRF Members attending the 2017 Bikers Inside the Beltway