Legislative and Legal Issues



      Washington State Governor Christine Gregoire exercised her line-item veto of a measure that would have banned all construction of new trails or facilities for off-road motorized recreation for at least a year.

      The measure, which had been inserted in the state budget in a last-minute maneuver, without the opportunity for public debate, would have prohibited the state's Department of Natural Resources from building or expanding trails or facilities for off-road recreational vehicles until July, 2009. It was one of seven sections of the proposed capital budget that Gov. Gregoire vetoed.

      The AMA and other organizations spread the word of the legislature's maneuver. Nearly 500 people used the AMA's Rapid Response Center to send messages to Gov. Gregoire, urging her to veto the measure. Others helping rally support for a veto were the Northwest Motorcycle Association, the Washington Off-Highway Vehicle Alliance, the Washington Road Riders Association, the BlueRibbon Coalition, the Motorcycle Industry Council, the AMA District 27 organization and Americans for Responsible Recreational Access. Notices were also posted on the popular Thumper Talk and KTM Talk internet forums.