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Legislative ~ ED "BEAR" SCHUITEMA

Legislative Director

Ed "Bear" Schuitema

Phone: 231 907-0710

buckman_4@yahoo.com

 

It is part of our mission to keep all members, and the general public alike up-to-date on the news that matters!  - Help us keep it that way!!
REMEMBER: Help Fight The Good Fight!
Being a productive member of ABATE means more than merely joining, do your part in taking action by writing your senators, representatives, and all those whom should be speaking for you, and tell them what you think... Help do your part!

House & Legislative Committees Jan. 12, 2023

Learn More

Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety Study January 2022

Learn More

Find Your State & House Legislators

Senators

Representatives

 The Citizens Guide to the Michigan Legislature provides pictures and contact information for all members of the Michigan Senate and House of Representatives, including links to their web sites.  - Android Installer | iPhone/iPad -  

Michigan Voters Map

Documents

Click on the "Go to Downloads" button below to find these documents.

  • Form Letter for State Representative

                 & State Senator 

  • Auto Insurance has Changed
  • Full Position
  • ​How to Meet Your Legislator 
  • Accomplishments 
  • Become a Legislative Supporter 
  • Legislative Review for June 2019 
  • SB 1 - Impact of No Fault Reform
  • HB 4306
  • HB 5013

Go to Downloads

Legislative Officers by Region

REGION 1
KIRK "DOC" SCHOTT  
EYEDOCSCHOTT@JAMADOTS.COM
PHONE: 906 367 2020 

REGION 3
VAN DUNSON

PHONE: 231 676-0760
vanmdunson@gmail.com

Regional Assistant MRF Rep 

DAVE "WOODY" BERG

Phone: 231 884-2192

Dberg01@hotmail.com 

Senate & House Info

REGION 4
ICEMAN HOEFT
HOEFTNHOEFT@GMAIL.COM
PHONE: 989 732 3699 

REGION 5
ED SCHUITEMA
BUCKMAN_4@YAHOO.COM
PHONE: 231 907 0710 

REGION 6 

James "Cricket" Zimmer  JAMESZIMMER36@GMAIL.COM PHONE:  989 495-8755 

Senate & House Info

REGION 7
BUTCH BROWN

BUTCH6907@YAHOO.COM
PHONE: 989 673 4743

REGION 8
ROB "COWBOY" SLUITER

GOKARTMASTER1374@GMAIL.COM
PHONE: 619 405-6274

Senate & House Info

 REGION 9
WAYNE BELBECK 

REGION 10 

GKOPTA@iCLOUD.COM

​PHONE: 989 737 4312

REGION 11
RICH SNOOKS

PHONE: 586 524-6907

mail@rsnooks.com

Senate & House Info

REGION 12
GARY GEROW
​PHONE: 269 998 6217 

REGION 13
HERB RIALS JR 
HRC9@COMCAST.NET
PHONE: 517 282 1057 

REGION 14
GEORGE FISCHER 
DUKENJOEY@YAHOO.COM
PHONE: 313 204 3826 

REGION 15
JIM RHOADES 
BIKER50JIM@YAHOO.COM
PHONE: 734 578 6144 

REGION 16
JESSE GORDY

JESSE.GORDY76@GMAIL.COM

PHONE:  734 957 6033 

REGION 18
ADAM THORN 
THUNDERCYCLE@SBCGLOBAL.NET
PHONE: 734 384 5260 

REGION 19
VINCE FABIS

VFWEBMASTER@ABATEMICHIGANREGION19.ORG

REGION 20 Regional Assistant MRF Rep JEREMY "Lil Ice Man" BOUVRETTE THE_ICEMAN99TURBO@YAHOO.COM PHONE  989 980 8842 

REGION 21
CHUCK CROSS
SAWTOOTHWOLVESMC@GMAIL.COM
PHONE: 616 754 3878 

How you can get involved

Legislative Days

Pizza & Pop Meeting & Luncheon

Meet with State Representatives

February 8 - 10:30 - 1 pm

Mackinaw Room at the State Capitol Building

Lansing, Michigan


Freedom Rally

May 31

State Capitol - Lansing, Michigan

Get Involved

Write a letter to your Representative!!

Letter Writing and E-Mail

A personal letter or message via e-mail or the Internet may be the most effective way of contacting your legislator, whether in Lansing or Washington. Consult the Congressional (p. 4), House (p. 31), and Senate (p. 53) directories in this guide to find the addresses of Michigan legislators. Many offices prefer e-mail.

Click here for: A Citizen's Guide to State Government.

If you’re new at this type of letter writing, here are some suggestions on how your letters can be most effective: How to write a letter to your representative: Click HERE

The intent of this CITIZEN’S GUIDE is to provide some of the specific information needed to get in touch with the RIGHT PEOPLE AT THE RIGHT TIME to make your concerns heard. It is hoped that it will be a reference tool that will assist you in your efforts to be heard by public officials.

It is of primary importance that the general public increase its participation in the decision-making process. In order to actuate this input, the citizen must acquire an understanding of the legislative structure and process and then organize concerted efforts to effectively demand representation. Individuals can have an impact on specific legislative proposals, provided it is made at the appropriate time. Organized community and citizens’ groups can multiply the impact of that individual effort. Organizing citizens’ groups to deal with specific community problems is extremely important. Such groups provide a focal point from which citizens can participate in the decision- making process and influence legislation.

BECOME A PRECINCT DELEGATE

* DO NOT SIGN UNTIL THEY ARE NOTARIZED!!!

Precinct Form

Legal & Insurance Issues

​AS OF 1.1.11 ~ ALL ABATE CASES MUST BE APPROVED BY THE LEGAL COMMITTEE

ABATE Insurance Contact Information

The following contacts are available to ABATE members

American Income Life Insurance
Lisa Bennett, Public Relations Manager
Cell: 616-635-7554, Office: 866-797-6455, e-mail:  
lmbennett@ailife.com

For ABATE event insurance contact
Preferred Insurance
Jennie Miller
Phone 269 273-1597

Helmet Law - Riding Free since 2012

Why Modify Michigan's Mandatory Helmet Law for Adult Choice?

ABATE's position supporting ADULT CHOICE for Michigan's mandatory motorcycle helmet law DOES NOT seek to eliminate the use of motorcycle helmets.  Although ABATE questions the MANDATORY nature of a law that forces the usage of self-protection equipment with questionable benefits, it is the use of DOCTORED statistics, the misrepresentation of facts, and outright lies used by the safety-crats to support their position which is especially bothersome.
 

It is easy to see that the incidence of injuries is directly related to the incidence of accidents.  The fact of the matter, though, is that the incidence of accidents and, thus, the incidence of injuries along with the fatality rate, (fatalities per 100 accidents), has been steadily DECREASING since the mid-80's, even with THIRTY-ONE (31) states allowing choice.  This is CONTRARY to what people are led to believe by these same so-called safety experts according to the NHTSA.  This can be easily verified.
 

The real question is "What can reasonably be done to curb the motorcycle accident rate even further"?  Helmets do not prevent accidents, they haven't reduced fatalities, nor do they do they make for a SAFER motorcycle rider.  Helmets MAY reduce some types of injuries OR they may INTENSIFY the severity of injuries.  The crash helmet's effectiveness is totally dependent upon the particular circumstances of the accident over which a helmet has no control.
An experienced, educated motorcycle rider knows that their ability to ride their motorcycle in a safe and alert manner will do more to determine the probability of their involvement in an accident than all the? safety? equipment that they could possibly carry.  Therefore, the solution to reduce the motorcycle accident rate and more importantly, the fatality rate, is to initiate comprehensive education and awareness programs for BOTH the motorcycle rider and the car driver, PERIOD!
The reason for the nationwide furor against MANDATORY motorcycle helmet laws, however, arises not so much from a concern for public safety, but as a concern for an individual's right to self-determination.  The success of our CONSTITUTIONALLY LIMITED REPUBLICAN form of government is in many ways dependent upon the ability of our citizens to develop into mature, responsible individuals.  And the very essence of maturity exists in the process of self-determination.  For a government to pass regulations designed to protect individuals from themselves, it assumes that it is necessary to do so.  How is it possible for a government to make such an assumption and still have Its people believe that they govern themselves?
 

The information in this paper is provided to counter the misrepresentations of the pro helmet law crowd with clear, rational, objective responses to their emotional rhetoric.  With thirty-one states allowing adult choice for riders 21 years and older, the info provided PROVES that neither fatality rates nor accident rates increase with adult choice.  There is not one state in the Union that has increased its insurance rates with the modification of their mandatory helmet law to allow adult choice.  Conversely, there is not one state that has DECREASED their insurance rates with the passing of a mandatory helmet law.  Case closed!
Finally, from Motorcycles Fatal Accident Reporting System (FARS), as far back as 1977 comes the statement, "there is no significant difference in the fatality rates of states requiring and not requiring the wearing of a motorcycle helmet."
The truth will make Michigan FREE!
Jim Rhoades Legislative Director
ABATE of Michigan

OHSP - Statistics

Motorcycle Helmet Traffic Crash Statistics

We need you to become a Legislative Supporter

Do you want to show your support for our legislative program?  Your contribution will assure that we continue the fight in Lansing.  

Pay with PayPal or a debit/credit card

Copyright © 2022 ABATE of Michigan - All Rights Reserved.

ABATE of Michigan Inc.,
P.O. Box 99
Constantine, Mi. 49042

269 435-2058

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