STARTING TOMORROW MORNING, DO THE FOLLOWING:
Read all of the "talking points" information below and use this information for phone calls and emails.
1. CALL your local representatives:
Who Represents Me FOLLOW the phone call with an email.
2. CALL Hugh Holliman (Majority Leader) Phone: 919-715-0873, 336-956-1385 FOLLOW UP with an email:
Hughh@ncleg.net
3. CALL Bill Owens (Rules Chair) Phone: 919-733-0010, 252-335-0167 FOLLOW UP with an email:
Billo@ncleg.net
4. CALL President Pro Tempore Marc Basnight's office and thank him for supporting HB 2167 and his willingness to call a special session for an override veto vote. Phone: 919-733-6854 FOLLOW UP with an email:
Marcb@ncleg.net
5. CALL House Speaker Joe Hackney's Office asking for a special session for an override veto vote. Phone: 919-733-3451, 919-929-0323 FOLLOW UP with an email:
Joeh@ncleg.net
6. Send the form letter below. It will be sent to ALL legislators.
7. If you would like to send your own personal letter to all Legislators via email,
click here.
Talking Points
*These boats are already traveling our roads
*This veto will have a negative impact on businesses along the coast during this fall's fishing season
*This is really a boating access issue
*Tourism and boating related businesses are already suffering downturns due to economic conditions
*There has still been no data to support the belief that this bill will be a safety issue
*There are MANY other vehicles on the road wider than 114 inches
Form Letter:
August, 18 2008
Re: Override Veto of House Bill 2167
Dear Legislators,
It is time to make history in North Carolina by SUCCESSFULLY overturning Governor Easley’s veto of House Bill 2167 entitled: Towing of Recreational Boats/Exemption.
You, the elected Senators and Representatives of North Carolina, attempted to appease the Governor’s concerns by reducing the maximum towing width from 120 inches to 114 inches, and despite your attempt at goodwill, he still vetoed the bill.
Boats up to 10 foot wide have been traveling the roadways in North Carolina for many years and doing so safely. Accident statistics prove it. There has been absolutely no argument about that. This legislation simply allows boaters the ability to use their boats and get them to and from the water in a reasonable manner. H2167 is trying to make legal what people have really been doing with their boats for many years, prior to the past year’s unnecessary enforcement activity. Laws that are not enforced are not really laws at all, so people become adjusted to what is being enforced. Again, boats up to 10 foot in width have been traveling NC roadways for years, most without permits (right or wrong,) because the laws were not enforced. They have done so for many years very safely. A piece of paper does nothing to make boat trailering safer.
Boaters who purchased boats thinking they have no issue with trailering it now are faced with not being able to get to the water after work on Fridays, cannot get back home from a trip on Sundays, and can’t tow their boats on holidays. Does this sound fair to you? And it is not, as Governor Easley implies, just “extremely large boats”. There are many 18 to 23 foot vessels that are affected by this. Rubrails and trailer guides have become major issues due to the 3 to 4 inches of width they add.
The August 2008 edition of Boating Industry magazine showed that North Carolina was ranked 5th in the nation in boating industry expenditures. That’s a lot of revenue for businesses and the state. Hundreds of small and large businesses, both marine and tourism related, depend on the boating public for their livelihood. In this time of economic hardship, particularly in the boating industry, this veto sends a clear message to boaters and to boating and tourism industries.....North Carolina is not going to be a boating friendly state. These industries certainly do not need further negative impacts. In the boating industry, plants are closing and people are losing their jobs. We need laws that support the industry, not a veto that helps destroy it.
You have strongly supported H2167, nearly unanimously, and for that we, the boaters and boating industry of North Carolina, thank you. Many, many businesses, both marine and tourism related, are also grateful. We will remember it in November!
We REALLY need your help one more time. Make North Carolina legislative history!
PLEASE agree to return to Raleigh and vote to override Governor Easley’s veto of House Bill 2167!
Thank you in advance for your kind cooperation and support.
Sincerely,
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