Legislative Update, Week 2 - Bridge Mania Unabated

Standard Oil Monopoly, 1904. Detail:   Library of Congress

Yes, there likely tentacles here too!

Monday brings the second big committee meeting on the Columbia River Crossing, Portland's $4 Billion Bridge and Highway proposal.

The "Joint Committee on Interstate-5 Bridge Replacement Project" meets again at 3pm on Monday the 18th in Hearing Room F for a public hearing and possible work session on HB 2800.  

If you're interested in following along, the hashtag #crc as well as reporter Andrea Damewood from Willamette Week and House Republican Deputy Leader Julie Parrish were active with useful and interesting updates on Twitter. 

If you're interested in going, here's the Portland facebook page for CRC opponents and organizing attendance on "round II." 

Questions and opposition from Clark County here and here and here. The "green tea" alliance here.  Economist Joe Cortright's testimony in opposition here.  BikePortland here.  From the libertarian and conservative side, Americans for Prosperity weigh in on the "boondoggle."  And from the left, former BTA director and current Cascade Bicycling Club advocate Evan Manvel summarizes.

And much, much more out there! There's more now than is convenient to link to comprehensively.  (Sorry for so much coverage of a Portland thing, but the implications for statewide funding and debt are huge, and the issues map in so many ways to the issues on our own third bridge boondoggle.  Don't forget about Tuesday's work session for Salem City Council at Broadway Commons.)

Senate Bill 247, which would create an alternative transportation fund with lottery dollars has a hearing on Tuesday the 19th at 3pm in hearing room B.

Senate Bill 9 has a hearing ("possible reconsideration and work session") on Monday the 18th at 8:30am in HR 343.

Other bills are mostly sitting chill in committee. More detailed updates after the jump.

Bridge Mania

• House Bill 2800 and House Bill 2260.  2260 has no committee meetings planned and may die in committee.  It does look like 2800 is the main one - though 2260 could be gutted-and-stuffed. 
• Representative Greenlick has also sponsored House Bill 2690, which would stop spending on the CRC.  No action.

Paying for the Roads

•  House Joint Resolution 9 -"Proposes amendment to Oregon Constitution to allow revenue from taxes on motor vehicle fuel and ownership, operation or use of motor vehicles to be used for transportation projects that will prevent or reduce pollution and congestion created by use of motor vehicles." Referred to Transportation and Economic Development committee.
• House Bill 2276 would increase the gas tax.  No action.   (City Council's Legislative Committee proposes to oppose any increase to the gas tax.)
• House Bill 2453 - "Requires persons operating certain high-mileage motor vehicles to pay per-mile road usage charge or flat annual road usage charge." No action.
• House Bill 2500 looks to expand the "types of costs that qualify as approved transportation costs for purposes of State School Fund distributions."  These would include "Expenditures made to improve  safety for students traveling to school by means that are not provided by the school district and that:
  (i) Include walking or using a bicycle, scooter, skateboard or similar device..." No action.
• Senate Bill 247 would use lottery funds and creates an "Alternative Mode Transportation Fund. Requires that nine percent of net proceeds from Oregon State Lottery be deposited in Multimodal Transportation Fund, and that nine percent of net proceeds be deposited in Alternative Mode Transportation Fund. Continuously appropriates moneys in Alternative Mode Transportation Fund to Department of Transportation. Provides that moneys may only be used for capital improvements and operational costs of mass transit, passenger rail, bicycle and pedestrian projects." Tuesday hearing.
• Studded tires.  House Bills 2277, 2278, and 2397 would add fees to offset the damage studded tires cause. No action on any.

Road Safety (and "Safety")

• Senate Bill 9 filed by Senator Courtney would "increase the penalty [for using a cel phone while driving] from a Class D violation to a Class B violation, which means the maximum fine would increase from $250 to $1,000. The minimum fine would increase from $60 to $130." SB9 has a hearing ("possible reconsideration and work session") on Monday the 18th at 8:30am in HR 343 before the Senate Judiciary Committee.  The "reconsideration" part doesn't look good!  Maybe some folks are having sticker shock at the maximum fines?
• Bike Headphone ban and mopeds on multi-use paths.  HB 2732 No action.
• Senate Bill 332 would establish a "Task  Force  on  Bicycle  Safety."  Senator Jackie Winters proposed this, and the bill as introduced is mostly procedural and otherwise content-free at the moment.  No action.
• House Bill 2115 would broaden the definition of intoxicating substances for the purposes of DUI citations.   No action.

All of this year's legislative updates are tagged 2013 Legislative Session.