Stimulus Package Signed into Law

The National Parks Second Century Commission, an independent commission convened last year by NPCA, will be hosting three public forums to provide the opportunity for folks to make recommendations for the future of the National Park System as it nears its second century in 2016. The Commission will recommend how our nearly 400 national park units can best serve a growing and more diverse population. It will also consider how to build a strong and sustainable funding strategy for the park system, and how the future growth of the system can be planned and shaped to preserve the best representation of our natural and cultural resources.Comments from the public meetings and from the website will be compiled and presented to a full meeting of the Second Century Commission in Gettysburg, PA in late March. Click here for more info and meeting time and locations.

Kentucky House Bill 88, know as One Road, would make it easier to prosecute reckless drivers who hit bicyclists and pedestrians. By making it clear that Kentucky will not tolerate reckless driving, HB 88 will make our roads safer for everyone. Please write or call your Representative John Tilley, who chairs the House Judiciary Committee. Urge Rep. Tilley to post House Bill 88 to the Judiciary Committee this week, and to cosponsor the bill. You may leave a message for Rep. Tilley by calling the Legislative Comment Line at 800-372-7181. You may also e-mail him at John.Tilley@lrc.ky.gov or fax him at (270) 885-7127. Additional calls can be made to Speaker of the Kentucky House of Representatives Greg Stumbo by calling the Legislative Comment Line at 800-372-7181. Click here for more information about House Bill 88.

House Bill 1445 seeks to authorize use of Shared Lane Markings or Sharrows. Sharrows are one of several new items proposed for the next edition of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) and have been successfully used in many communities throughout the country - including San Francisco, CA and Denver, CO. Hawaii cyclists are urged to contact their state representatives to support the use of these innovative lane markings. Click here for the proposed bill. Click here for a list of Hawaii state representatives.

House Bill 389 will update the state's bicycle equipment code to current standards in addition to making it unlawful to harass, taunt or maliciously throw an object at or in the direction of any person riding a bicycle. Language in the bill also requires that an operator of a motor vehicle must maintain, at all times, a safe operating distance from cyclists and must exercise due care while the motor vehicle is passing a cyclist. Having already passed the MS House of  Representatives, Mississippi cyclists are encouraged to email Senate Transportation Chairman Tom King in addition to their own state senator  to urge the passage of this bill through the MS Senate. Text of the bill can be found here. More info and history of the bill can be found here.

Utah Senate Bill 102 would allow for 'Share the Road' specialty license plates. These plates will push the critical message of sharing the road, and revenue generated through their sales will help fund UDOT, Utah Bicycle Coalition, and bicyclist and motorist safety education programming. Utah cyclists are urged to contact their State Senator to support passage of this bill. Text of the bill can be found here.
*image source www.utahbikes.org

Washington Senate Bill 5838 - Vehicular Assault

Washington Senate Bill 5838 allows for a misdemeanor criminal charge in crashes causing serious injury or death when not caused by use of alcohol or drugs. This bill will help fill the gray area that allows police and district attorneys to charge motorists with more than mere traffic fines when they injure or kill cyclists. Washington cyclists are urged to contact their State Senators to support bringing this bill to vote. Text of the bill can be found here.

 

New Mexico Bill 290 would reaffirm to the public the seriousness of failure to yield.  Failing to yield, and the resulting crashes that ensure, are a major contributor to the annual death and injury statistics that plague the transportation system. The increased penalties in this bill, especially for causing injury or death, are crucial in raising the public's awareness that as a society, we will not accept the casual killing and maiming of our fellow citizen cyclists. Nevada cyclists are urged to contact their state senator to support this bill. Click here for the complete text of the bill.

 

The League of American Bicyclists promotes bicycling for fun, fitness and transportation, and works through advocacy and education for a bicycle-friendly America. The League represents the interests of America's 57 million bicyclists, including its 300,000 members and affiliates. For more information or to support the League, visit www.bikeleague.org.