I have copied and pasted an email I received form Iva Michelle Russell who is the Legislative Chairman for TOHVA. We all need to get involved and let your legislators know we support and would like them to support the bills listed in the email.
Here is a sample email I sent to Sen. Woodson
Greetings Sen. Woodson,
I am sending this email in support of the following bills and hope that you will help keep Off-road activities alive and growing in the great state of Tennessee. I trust that you will support these bills as they will help insure that thousands of fellow off-roaders for generations to come will have a place to enjoy this great activity.

SB280,HB365 – Switching the OHV Program from TWRA to TDEC
SB281,HB367 – Tort Reform/Liability relief for OHV activities (mirrors current equine liability laws)
SB282,HB366 – Proposes an Off-Highway Vehicle Specialty License Plate, raises funds to promote OHV education, safety and trail building resources in TN.



From: Iva Michelle Russell [mailto:iva@ivamichellerussell.com]
Sent: Tuesday, February 10, 2009 4:11 PM
To: iva@ivamichellerussell.com
Subject: TN OHV Bills for 2009 - Let the fun begin!

Alrighty gang, the 2009 Off-Highway Vehicle Bills have been filed and intro’d. Now is the time to contact your own legislators and get them to either sign onto or support these three bills as they move thru the committee process and onto the floor for a full vote in both legislative bodies. These bills are basically “enabling” legislation for the OHV constituency in TN. There should not be a fiscal note attached to any of our bills. We pay our own way and therefore deserve a fully operational statewide OHV program. The needs of 880,000 + users over the age of 16 in our state are not being addressed and that, my friends, is a travesty beyond comprehension. Plus the economic benefits from OHV Recreation are almost 8 to 1 over other outdoor activities. We bring money into our rural communities and right now folks; we need every penny we can get.
Go to: www.capitol.tn.gov there you will find contact information for your legislators, access to the summary of our OHV Bills, and a way to track them from your home computer. They have really gotten this process very user-friendly this year. Hallelujah! If your legislators have any questions with your request, do not hesitate to send them my way. I am here for anything you may need in this endeavor. 931-924-7877 or iva@ivamichellerussell.com
Many thanks go to Sen. Eric Stewart (D-14) and Rep. Judd Matheny (R-47) for sponsoring these bills. This is our THIRD year presenting the agency switch legislation. Bottom line, we are 100% committed to switching managing agencies. TDEC is ready to get to work for us, TWRA is not. It is just that simple.

SB280,HB365 – Switching the OHV Program from TWRA to TDEC
SB281,HB367 – Tort Reform/Liability relief for OHV activities (mirrors current equine liability laws)
SB282,HB366 – Proposes an Off-Highway Vehicle Specialty License Plate, raises funds to promote OHV education, safety and trail building resources in TN.

Onward Ho!

M

Ps. Once everything begins, you can also follow the fun on Facebook and Twitter. OHV4TN

Cal City sees two sides of riders
Off-road trails bring tourism, obstruction to Kern County
This story appeared in the Antelope Valley Press
Sunday, February 8, 2009.
By ALLISON GATLIN
Valley Press Staff Writer

Good job! We've definitely got to keep Tennessee working in our favor. They seem to be one of a very few states that actually take the offroading community seriously instead of making us scapegoats to close public lands.

Rep points for you my friend!

Agreed with Drake on this!

Its really important to keep this state OHV parks open since majority of residents are into the type of sport.

Great job, Shawn!

Here is an update on the TN OHV Legislation. I copied and pasted this from an email I get form Iva Michelle Russell Exec. Director, OHV4TN.
Please take note on Action Item #3. I encourage all you southeastern guys and gals to take a few and fill out the form. There is still hope for Tellico. Come on peeps lets get-r-done.

TN OHV Legislative Update
SB280 got rolled again but we are making progress. Negotiations always deal with money these days and our bill is no different. We are back on the docket for 4/1 but may get bumped to 4/8. As soon as we get thru the Senate, we will run HB365 in the House.

HB366 has moved thru committee and is now apart of the Omnibus Special License Plate Bill to be voted on as a whole. SB282 is on the consent calendar to be moved thru as well.

Holding off on SB281 & HB367 until we work thru these other issues successfully.

Action Items:

1). Keep those forum addresses coming. I am committed to answering any and all questions on our OHV Legislative Agenda.

2). Looking for people to man the TOHVA booth during the Loretta Lynn’s Ranch Spring Ride (OHM) April 2-5. 1500+ in attendance. We will be accumulating $$ spending data as well as doing preliminary sign-ups for the proposed OHV Specialty License Plates. Let me know your availability and interest.

3). PLEASE: TAKE TEN MINUTES FOR TELLICO NOW! We need you to send in comment letters to the Forest Service. Pass this on to your friends and fellow OHVers. Now we are shifting to Phase 2. It is important and it is time to respond to the Forest Service's draft Environmental Assessment with comments. We've made this very easy for you with an online letter generator (http://www.sharetrails.org/letters/letter.php?id=39). All it takes is for you to click here and there is a very easy process set up for you to send in your comments.


4). TN State Forests are a viable option for our proposed statewide system of OHV Trails. We have the opportunity to attend these Division of Forestry assessment meetings below to express our views on the matter. I would highly recommend you take advantage of this opportunity because I seriously doubt anyone else will, therefore our presence and commentary will be duly noted…This is how it works in our favor folks, utilize the system to our advantage. Bring your entire club with you. Carpe Diem!!

The TN Division of Forestry has finalized the set up of 4 meetings for the assessment of the Division's programs and the forestry resource of Tennessee.

The meetings will be more of an open house. You'll get a chance to come and go as you please, and may comment on any or all of the topics that will be manned by a facilitator/note taker at each station. The time of the meetings will be from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. (All times local daylight saving time).

March 24th, Chattanooga, City of Chattanooga's Development Resource Center, 1250 Market Street - DONE

March 26th, Cookeville, Hyder-Burks Agriculture Pavilion

April 1st, Morristown, Morristown Utilities Building

April 6th, Jackson - West Tennessee UT Ag Center, Airways Blvd on the West side of Jackson

Onward Ho!

Michelle

Iva Michelle Russell
Exec. Director, OHV4TN
A Citizen Lobbyist Organization
931-924-7877
iva@ivamichellerussell.com
www.ohv4tn.org
www.facebook.com/ohv4tn