Now I know that you are looking at the title of this bill and wondering what strange, bizarre, or outlandish thing goes on in H.B. 116 as proposed by Representative Mark Wheatley (D – Murray, District 35). Well, I need to be honest…there is nothing all that interesting about this bill.

Or is there?

Why would I waste my time discussing a bill that basically allows people to add motors to their canoe and not pay a higher fee? Is it because I wonder why anyone would add a motor to their canoe in the first place? No. Is it because I think this will have a huge impact on the states bottom line and how dare Representative Wheatley put our state in economic trouble? No. Is it because I think this bill is out and out absurd? No.

The reason I have decided to talk about this bill is simple; it is an example of how our system should work.

You see, I had the opportunity to talk to Representative Wheatley about this very bill. I mean it is quite absurd and one has to wonder why Wheatley would care about this issue in the first place. Well, he doesn’t, well not really any way.

Wheatley was approached by one of his constituents after he attached a motor to his canoe and suddenly had to pay much higher fees to register his boat. Wheatley, agreeing with his constituents plight, felt that a law needed to be passed that helped the people in his district – and indeed the state – went to Capitol Hill and fought for the people in his district.

And that is the lesson. Approach your Representatives and make them represent you! You never know, you might actually get a law passed.