Drawing on his experience in lobbying for a rail safety bill in Nevada, BLET Division 766 (Las Vegas) member Jason Doering is using the media to urge legislators in Colorado to support a rail safety bill. Brother Doering’s opinion column was published in the Colorado Sun on April 17.
His efforts were on behalf of Chairman Matt Parker and members of the Nevada State Legislative Board in a public show of solidarity with Chairman Paul Pearson and members of the Colorado State Legislative Board. The BLET in Colorado is currently lobbying hard for passage of House Bill 1030, a bill that would mandate installation of wayside defect detectors, among other safety improvements.
Brother Doering wrote: “As House Bill 1030 makes its journey through the Colorado Capitol, it carries with it the echoes of Nevada’s recent struggle with Assembly Bill 456 — a fight that, despite fervent public and legislative support, was stymied by the veto pen, a stark testament to the rail industry’s formidable influence… Colorado’s fight for House Bill 1030 thus emerges as a tale of resistance against corporate overreach… House Bill 1030, which has moved through that chamber and is now before a Senate committee, represents more than mere legislation; it embodies a stand against complacency, a pledge to prioritize the safety of Colorado’s communities, and the preservation of its environmental legacy.”
To read Brother Doering’s full commentary, please visit the Colorado Sun website.