Legislative Update - Week 9

What's new?

Wednesday there will be a hearing on bicycle traffic lights and on a possible bicycle licensing study. Personal car-sharing continues to move forward.

Bills Specifically about Bicycling

Senate Bill 130 for bicycle traffic lights. Public Hearing for April 6th:

Wednesday-April 6
1:00 P.M.
Room: 50

Senate Bill 415 would expand penalties for harming a vulnerable user of the road. Hearing held.

Senate Bill 604 will be a gut-n-stuff. No change.

Senate Bill 660 would decrease the fines for stop sign violations on bike. No change.

Senate Bill 846 would regulate standards for bicycle trailers. Hearing held.

House Bill 2331 to study bicycle licensing. Referred to Ways and Means. Hearing scheduled for Wednesday, April 6th. At the BTAblog, Gerik has a note about their position on it. Here again are Doug Parrow's thoughts. Both suggest that people on bike have nothing to fear from the truth: licensing schemes don't pay for themselves, let alone any infrastructure, and requires enforcement too tricky for kids and for non-residents who bike. Hearing details:

Wednesday-April 6
1:00 P.M.
Room: 50

House Bill 2332 would create a weight-based schedule of traffic fines. Hearing scheduled for April 15th.

House Bill 2824, creating the crime of altering or removing a stolen bike's serial number. No change.

Relevant to Transportation Generally

Senate Bill 160, the prohibition on lap dogs while driving, would "create offense of driver operation with obstructing animal." No change

Senate Bill 266 on electronic tolling. No change.

Senate Bill 344 (unchanged) and House Bill 3150 (engrossed with amendments) would permit local jurisdictions to enact a 20mph speed limit on neighborhood streets. No change.

House Bill 2166 would authorize lottery funds "for transportation projects funded from Multimodal Transportation Fund." No change.

House Bill 2333 prohibiting studded tires. No change.

House Bill 2437 on school busing. No change.

House Bill 3149 on personal car-sharing. Passed the House 47-10, on to Senate.

House Bill 3178 looks like it would encourage transit-oriented development to be funded by tax-increment financing. Referred to Senate Business, Transportation and Economic Development Committee.

House Bill 3186, co-sponsored by Representative Berger, would eliminate the jobs loophole on the texting and cel phone ban. No change.

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

Dead or Moribund Bills

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

House Bill 2602, the headphone ban.