Legislative Session – update 1
By Joshua Feldmark - February 11, 2018
We are now a little over 1/3 of the way through the legislative session and wanted to start giving regular updates of the work we have been doing. Before I get started though, one last chance to register for the Symposium tomorrow. Of course, you should also feel free to come and register (for free) on Tuesday.
Ok, on to the legislative update. If you need catching up on the introduction of our 2018 agenda, please read this post.
Safe Passing
This bill looks to essentially eliminate the narrow road exception to the 3-foot law. Specifically, it makes legal the safe practice of crossing a double yellow when passing a cyclist. Bike Maryland testified on your behalf for both hearings on this proposal.
Senator Lee
Co-Sponsor: Madaleno, Robinson, Salling
Assigned to Judicial Proceedings
Awaiting committee vote
Delegate Cassilly
Assigned to Environment & Transportation
Awaiting Committee Vote
At Senate hearing, the State Police submitted written testimony objecting to this bill. Specifically, they objected to the clause that allows for the motorist to cross the double yellow line when they deem it safe. This specific language has been problematic in other situations in court because if the motorist causes an accident the courts have ruled that they didn’t break the law because the law says that they are the sole arbiters of whether it was safe.
In response to this, the sponsors submitted an amendment that exchanges this language for the language used in the law for right turn on red, requiring the motorist to yield before taking the action. At the hearing in the House the state police submitted no further objections and while this does guarantee they no longer object, we are optimistic that they will lift their objections.
Complete Streets
As explained by Smart Growth America, a Complete Streets approach integrates people and place in the planning, design, construction, operation, and maintenance of our transportation networks. This helps to ensure streets are safe for people of all ages and abilities, balance the needs of different modes, and support local land uses, economies, cultures, and natural environments.
State Agency Compliance
Requiring all state transportation agencies to adopt and comply with a complete streets policy. Bike Maryland will be testifying on your behalf at all four of the hearings below as well as coordinating the testimony of others supporting this position.
Senator Mathias
Assigned to Finance
Hearing March 14th at 1:00 pm
Delegate Lafferty
Assigned to Environment & Transportation
Hearing February 22nd at 1:00 pm
Local Complete Streets
This bill creates a program to provide assistance for local governments attempting to adopt a complete streets policy as well as assistance for design an implementation for local governments that have already adopted a complete streets policy.
Senator Guzzone
Co-Sponsor: Astle, Benson, Currie, Ferguson, Madaleno, Ramirez, Young, and Zucker
Assigned to Finance
Hearing March 14th at 1:00 pm
Delegate Lierman
Co-Sponsor: Ali, Angel, Clippinger, Ebersole, Fraser–Hidalgo, Hettleman, Hill, C. Howard, Korman, Lafferty, J. Lewis, R. Lewis, Luedtke, Morhaim, Platt, Sanchez, and P. Young
Assigned to Environment & Transportation
Hearing February 22nd at 1:00 pm
Vulnerable Road User Law
For more general information on VRU laws.
This proposal says that if a person causes serious injury or death to a vulnerable road user as a result of careless or distracted driving a court may order the guilty party:
- Attend a motor vehicle safety course
- Perform up to 150 hours of community service
- Pay a fine up to $2,000
- Their license will be suspended at least 7 days but no more than 6 months
Delegate Lafferty
Assigned to Environment & Transportation
Hearing March 1st at 1:00 PM
Senator Lee
Assigned to Judicial Proceedings
Hearing February 27th at 1:00 pm
There are other pieces of legislation that are important to us but not as high of a priority and a few issues we discussed earlier which are not legislative in nature, so more on all of those in the weeks to come. I hope to see you at the symposium tomorrow and as always, please email me joshua@bikemd.org with any thoughts or questions you might have.
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