Tank Baird couldn’t be happier that motorcycles will once again be revving up their engines for the Lycoming County 9/11 Memorial Ride following a one-year hiatus.

The state Senate this week unanimously passed a bill that avoids the regulatory process put upon communities for the annual event.

“The bill removes the necessity for every municipality to sign off on the indemnification. I’m glad they did this,” Baird said. “The rules would have made it impossible for us to hold this ride. Our only option would have been to petition Harrisburg for a waiver.”

The state Department of Transportation had required municipalities through which the ride traveled to have insurance, creating a burdensome permitting process for holding the event, Baird noted.

“They were going to make everyone sign the indemnification language which is just ludicrous,” he said. “Essentially, the Legislature has corrected that.”

State Rep. Joe Hamm, R-Hepburn Township, was the chief sponsor of House Bill 765 to address the issue.

The legislation passed through the House in May, 201-0. It now awaits Gov. Tom Wolf’s signature.

“Joe Hamm got up and basically hit one out of the park,” Baird said.

Baird said there still is much work to do to ensure the ride occurs Sept. 11.

“We are in a time crunch,” he said. “Normally, we start the permitting process in March.”

Hamm said there was no reason for municipalities to comply with something that is already being done by the event organizers.

“PennDOT did not like the language of our bill,” he said. “They wanted an amendment. We fought back.”

The bill, he noted, removes the municipality indemnification process, which amounted to an unnecessary duplication of law. Hamm said he was happy to push the legislation to enable the celebration of an important day in the nation’s history.

“I am just honored to fight for those we lost,” he said. “We are excited that thousands will be able to participate in the ride and thousands more will be able to line the parade route.”