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bills were filed that, while not directly aimed at motorcyclists, are
of interest to us. VCOM will be watching these bills closely. HB 441 has been introduced by Delegate Farris. Delegate Farris represents the Rustburg area of Virginia. The bill requires that any new insurance policy insuring a motor vehicle known to the insurer to be a salvage vehicle to contain, if the policy provides collision or comprehensive coverage, a notice that (i) the motor vehicle is a salvage vehicle and (ii) in the event of an accident in which the motor vehicle is declared a total loss, the insured will be paid less money than he would if a salvage certificate had not been issued for the vehicle due to fact that the actual cash value of a salvage vehicle is generally less than it is for motor vehicles that are not salvage vehicles. The bill also requires an appropriate reduction in premium charges for those motor vehicles for which a salvage certificate has been issued. Many motorcyclists who have had their motorcycles totaled have chosen to retain the motorcycle and put it back on the road. Many have continued to pay insurance premiums in the same amount as they had prior to the accident, even though the motorcycle was no longer worth what it was prior to the accident. This bill makes sure that the insured motorist knows that his or her vehicle is worth less, and makes sure that the insurance company does not continue to charge the same premium for a motor vehicle that is worth less. VCOM supports this bill and will continue to watch it closely. If you wish to follow the progress of this bill you may do so at http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=141&typ=bil&val=hb441 If you wish to read the full text of the bill you may do so at http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?141+ful+HB441 Another bill of interest to motorcyclists is HB 542 which was filed by Delegate Delores McQuinn of Richmond. The bill concerns wearing a mask in public. Currently wearing a mask in public is a class six felony. There are certain exceptions to the statute, such as wearing certain protective equipment that covers your face (motorcycle helmet), or wearing masks on certain holidays. However, we have seen instances around the state where motorcyclists who were wearing cold weather protection which covered their face were pulled over and forced to remove the covering. The officers have cited the statute against wearing a mask in public. The Supreme Court of Virginia has ruled that the statute carries with it a requirement that the person be wearing the mask with an intent to conceal their identity. What this bill does is make that clear in the statute. The bill clarifies that it is only illegal to wear a mask in public if you are doing so to conceal your identity, not if you are simply trying to stay warm. VCOM supports this bill. If you wish to follow the progress of this bill you may do so at http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=141&typ=bil&val=hb542 If you wish to read the full text of the bill you may do so at http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?141+ful+HB542 As always, if you have any questions or comments about any of the above, please do not hesitate to contact me. In the meantime, I will continue follow up with any future news on these or any other bills of interest to motorcyclists. Matt Danielson McGrath & Danielson The Motorcycle Law Group 1-800-321-8968 Motorcyclelawgroup.com |
