- Location
- Desert Beach So Cal
SB155 Passes House and Senate in Texas
From: "Shawn & Christine Pagan" <[email protected]>
SB155 which outlaws public use by motorized vehicles of all publicly owned
streambeds and rivers and flood plain areas in Texas passed with little to
no opposition.
The law takes effect on Sept, 1 2003. It will be enforced beginning January
1, 2004.
The river bottoms and play areas around Texas have been enjoyed by motorized
recreationists for over 50 years... including George Bush and his wife.
This will eliminate almost all the public areas that were open to motorized
recreation in a state that is 97% private property.
In general the motorized recreationist have only themselves to blame. Yes,
some landowners put up a good fight and yes the legislature passed the law -
however, the reason it passed was due to almost total apathy by the off-road
community. People have been talking of this coming for the past 4 years..
and only until about 5 - 8 months ago did the AMA, Blue Ribbon or any of the
other national associations take any time to even write a letter. However,
what's even worse then that and probably the reason for it is that the
citizens of Texas who call motorized recreation their sport or pastime - did
very little to stop this frontal assault. Mostly they assigned blame or
assumed it was only in certain areas. Only in some of these small pocket
areas did they even sit up and take notice at all - I applaud those who
tried. I pity those that will simply blame the system and move on.
The only saving grace is that the law was somewhat watered down from it's
original form and if areas can put together management plans that don't
require too much funding then there is a chance (slim to none but a chance
none the less) that local municipalities can continue to provide access -
but it won't be free.
Sorry, just how I feel.
- Shawn
From: "Shawn & Christine Pagan" <[email protected]>
SB155 which outlaws public use by motorized vehicles of all publicly owned
streambeds and rivers and flood plain areas in Texas passed with little to
no opposition.
The law takes effect on Sept, 1 2003. It will be enforced beginning January
1, 2004.
The river bottoms and play areas around Texas have been enjoyed by motorized
recreationists for over 50 years... including George Bush and his wife.
This will eliminate almost all the public areas that were open to motorized
recreation in a state that is 97% private property.
In general the motorized recreationist have only themselves to blame. Yes,
some landowners put up a good fight and yes the legislature passed the law -
however, the reason it passed was due to almost total apathy by the off-road
community. People have been talking of this coming for the past 4 years..
and only until about 5 - 8 months ago did the AMA, Blue Ribbon or any of the
other national associations take any time to even write a letter. However,
what's even worse then that and probably the reason for it is that the
citizens of Texas who call motorized recreation their sport or pastime - did
very little to stop this frontal assault. Mostly they assigned blame or
assumed it was only in certain areas. Only in some of these small pocket
areas did they even sit up and take notice at all - I applaud those who
tried. I pity those that will simply blame the system and move on.
The only saving grace is that the law was somewhat watered down from it's
original form and if areas can put together management plans that don't
require too much funding then there is a chance (slim to none but a chance
none the less) that local municipalities can continue to provide access -
but it won't be free.
Sorry, just how I feel.
- Shawn
