Legislative Update, Week 9

Contemplating the gas tax

Super abbreviated this week. Too much going on with the Salem River Crossing and other stuff.

Bullet points only!

• Studded tires.  House Bill 2277 has a work session on Friday, April 12th.  Progress!
• School transport. 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..."  For a long time it looked stalled, but there's a work session on Monday, April 15th.
• Helmets. Senate Bill 741 would require persons "of any age to wear helmet when using bicycle, skateboard, scooter, in-line skates or roller skates when participating in organized exhibition, competition or contest."  It has a work session on Tuesday, April 9th.  The companion bill, raising the age from 16 to 18 for helmet use, is not in this work session and may be dead.
• Suspended Licenses. HB 3047 would double the length of a motor vehicle license suspension from 10 to 20 years.  Hearing and work session held, but no action or amendments yet. There is another work session scheduled for Wednesday, April 10th.

Everything else looks pretty much the same, so see notes on week 8 for more detail and more bills.

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