Legislative Update - Week 14 - Horse-trading!

Word is that rural Legislators would like to trade provisions for a 75mph rural highway speed limit for the urban 20mph greenway speed limit.

Bills Specifically about Bicycling

Senate Bill 130 for bicycle traffic lights. Passed the House, 58-2. Rep. Weidner (R - Yamhill) carried the bill, and Rep. Schauffler (D - Happy Valley) perhaps unsurprisingly voted against it. So on to the Governor now. It's hard to imagine it getting vetoed.

Senate Bill 415 would expand penalties for harming a vulnerable user of the road. No change.

Senate Bill 846 calls for an informational sticker on bicycle trailers. Hearing scheduled.

Thursday-May 19
Time: 8:00 A.M.
Room: HR E

Relevant to Transportation Generally

House Bill 2437 on school busing. No change. See also HB 3622. No change. These also may be dead.

House Bill 3149 on personal car-sharing. Hearing held.

House Bill 3150 (engrossed with amendments) would permit local jurisdictions to enact a 20mph speed limit on neighborhood streets. More on the horse-trading! Here's a pure motorist perspective. Note the apparent acceptance of two to eleven additional fatalities per year. (Last year there were 318 highway fatalities on the interstates in Oregon.)

House Bill 3186, co-sponsored by Representative Berger, would eliminate the jobs loophole on the texting and cel phone ban. Here's the amended version. Hearing and work session scheduled.

Tuesday-May 24
Time: 8:30 A.M.
Room: 343

Dead, Moribund, or Irrelevant Bills

House Bill 2228 prohibits bike transportation of child under 6 years old.

House Bill 2331 to study bicycle licensing. No change since April 11th, and it may be dead.

House Bill 2333 prohibiting studded tires.

House Bill 2602, the headphone ban.

House Bill 2824, creating the crime of altering or removing a stolen bike's serial number.

House Bill 3178 to encourage transit-oriented development to be funded by tax-increment financing.

Senate Bill 160, the prohibition on lap dogs while driving, would "create offense of driver operation with obstructing animal."

Senate Bill 266 on electronic tolling.

Senate Bill 344 (but see HB 3150 above)

Senate Bill 604 may be a gut-n-stuff.

Senate Bill 660 would decrease the fines for stop sign violations on bike.

Proposed Oregon Constitutional Amendment to permit gas taxes to be used for pollution control and congestion reduction. No change.