Thursday June 28th marked Sine Die, the falling of the final gavel on the 2007 legislative session. And this session marked six months of high-profile legislative successes and building of strong momentum to increase the safety and promotion of safe cycling. Every major media outlet reported and weighed in on bicycle and pedestrian safety. Articles include Sunday’s front page Eugene Register Guard article, editorial board endorsements by the Oregonian and Register Guard for bicycle and pedestrian bills, and a high volume of letters printed by the editors.
This blog post will explain the end results of bicycle-related bills of the 2007 session.
BTA PRIORITY BILLS
HB 3314 – Vulnerable Users of the Roadway:
PASSED – on Governor’s desk
This bill creates a class of Vulnerable Users that includes anyone not in an enclosed vehicle. It creates enhanced penalties for drivers that kill or seriously injure a vulnerable user and are convicted of Careless Driving. The sentence requires:
- Two mandatory court appearances (current standards do not require an appearance)
- 100-200 hours of community service
- Completion of a traffic safety course
- Up to $12,500 fine (waived if above requirements met)
- One-year license suspension (waived if above requirements met, but ODOT can place an additional administrative suspension)
This bill also helped create momentum for a Vehicular Homicide bill that was introduced late in the session but did not pass.
SB 299 – 3’ Passing Distance
PASSED – amended as SB 108, on Governor’s desk
This bill initially requested a three-foot minimum passing distance along with other improvements. The resulting bill created a safe passing distance geared primarily for non-urban cycling conditions. SB 108 creates the offense of unsafe passing of a bicycle and other improvements:
- Safe passing distance means distance that is sufficient to prevent contact with the person operating the bicycle if the person were to fall into the driver’s lane of traffic.
- Exceptions include if a bicycle is in a bike lane, if the driver is going less than 35 mph, and when cyclists are turning left and the motorist is overtaking on the right. In these exception cases, ORS 811.410 still applies stating a vehicle that is overtaking any other vehicle proceeding in the same direction shall pass to the left at a safe distance.
- Drivers may drive to the left of the center of a roadway to safely pass a bicycle if it is unobstructed for sufficient distance to permit the driver to pass the person safely and avoid interference with oncoming traffic.
- Legalizes pace line cycling by limiting the offense of “following too closely†to motor vehicles.
SB 573 – Pedestrian Hand Signal
FAILED – passed Senate, died in House Judiciary Committee
This bill would have created a legally binding hand signal for pedestrians used to state their intentions of crossing a street at an intersection, requiring vehicles within a reasonable distance to stop.
OTHER BILLS
SB 789 – Share the Road License Plate
PASSED – signed into law 6/22
Creates a new license plate that will be designed with a “Share the Road†message and theme. The BTA and Cycle Oregon will work with the state to design, raise initial funding, and distribute proceeds of the plate. Plates will cost $5 each per registration year; $40 for a four-year registration.
SB 729 – Brake Bill Update
PASSED – on Governor’s desk
This bill will update the bicycle braking and equipment standards:
- Bicycles must be equipped with a brake that enables operators to stop within 15 feet from a speed of 10 mph on dry, level, clean pavement.
- The exemption for fixed-geared bicycles was removed in a late-session conference committee.
- Permits law officers to install sirens on their bicycles.
SB 926 – Velodromes
FAILED – stuck in Ways and Means
This bill introduced by Senator Jason Atkinson would have earmarked $3.5 million of lottery funds to build a Velodrome in Southern Oregon; Portland quickly jumped on as was added to the bill. Sen. Prozanski added Eugene in committee and off to Ways and Means it wend, and there it never moved. We did however hold productive conversations with State Parks, discussing purchasing movable velodromes, bicycle racing, and bicycle recreation.
HB 2297 – Lowers speed limits on certain residential streets
PASSED
Representative Tomei’s bill to address neighborhood traffic safety:
- Defines Narrow Residential Roadway, a two-way road that is in a residential area and not more than 18 feet wide at any point between intersections.
- Defines the speed limit as 15 miles per hour.
HB 3020 – Memorial Signs
FAILED – stuck in Ways and Means Committee
This bill would have permitted families to purchase memorial signs in locations where bicyclists and pedestrians were killed on the roadway, only if motorists were convicted of a related offense.
The bill was referred to the budget committee, Ways and Means, where it sat and never saw the light of day again.
Relevant Appointments:
State Parks Commission: Jay Graves, Bike Gallery
