Over 1500 bikers across Texas came together on Monday to lobby Texas legislators for name and club recognition.
Austin Bandido Gimmi Jimmy State Chairman for United Clubs of Texas and U.S. Commander for the U.S. Defenders told Texas Insider their ultimate goal was to “take congress away from congress and give it back to the people.” The goal for Monday however was to make headway in gaining state recognition for Texas biker clubs.
“We’re tired of being pushed off as second class citizens and we’re uniting as man power across the United States as the U.S. Defenders to take our rights back and get congress to recognize us” explained Jimmy.
“We want our votes to be heard our names to be recognized and
our clubs to be recognized as people who do hold jobs. We are regular
citizens we’re fathers grandmothers etc. and we’re fighting for our
rights just like every citizen out there.”
Bikers were eager to
tackle several issues in the legislative meeting including HIPAA
(Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) the Road Block
bill and the Equal Access bill.
“HIPAA is a joke” said
Jimmy “You fall down on your bike and your insurance company doesn’t
have to pay for it because it was a recreational activity.”
Another
bill motorcyclists feel strongly against is the Road Block bill also
being called Alcohol Checkpoint. According to the bikers on Monday
this bill puts officers at liberty to charge anyone in a vehicle with
any crime they choose once they stop a driver at a Road Block or Check
Point. For the well-being and fairness of all drivers bikers hope to
put this bill to a stop. 
Bikers
came to the capitol to stop not only HIPAA and the Road Block bill but
to also end discrimination. The Texas Motorcycle Rights Association
wrote an Equal Access bill that would allow bikers equal protection
under the law in public places. Motorcyclists protested that they have
not been allowed equal parking spaces in public parking areas as well
as having been turned away from public entities because of their dress.
The Equal Access bill which bikers hope to pass remedies this problem
by stating “If a business wishes to have total control over who they
may and may not serve they can open as a Private Club rather than a
Public Accommodation.”
As bikers went in to battle for their
rights Jimmy summed their purpose with “Give the power to the people
and let’s put God back into our country and let the country be run by
the people again.”
