Sen. Floyd Prozanski.(Photos © J. Maus)

Recently passed House Bill 3271 — a bill that addresses a number of types of harassment — includes language that establishes the new crime of “Aggravated Driving While Suspended or Revoked”.
The bill passed through the Oregon Legislature late Thursday and the language to address aggravated driving was added as an [...]

Oberstar this morning.

U.S. Congressman Jim Oberstar (D-MN) has thrown down quite a gauntlet in his public standoff with the Obama administration about the prospects of a new transportation bill.
Oberstar released his bill earlier this week (he’s Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee) and he (and other House members) has rebuffed Department of Transportation [...]

The House Climate Bill that is set for a vote this Friday could help fill a transportation investment pot that states could put toward bike projects.
The American Clean Energy and Security Act (H.R. 2454) would raise money from polluters that go over their allowed emissions levels, an amount estimated to be $70 billion by 2010. [...]

“The use of cell phones is increasing so much that we have to get a handle on it now.”– Ginny Burdick (D-Portland)

After several years of trying, the Oregon Legislature has passed a law that will make the use of cell phones while operating a motor vehicle illegal. House bill 2377, sponsored by Rep. Carolyn [...]

“Over reliance on automobiles can have adverse impacts on public health, both through lessened physical activity and from increased pollutants.”– from the bill’s description of the Office of Livability

U.S. Rep. Jim Oberstar, Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has released the full text of the federal transportation bill. Calling it the “Surface [...]

Rep. Jim Oberstar speaking at the 2007 National Bike Summit.(Photos © J. Maus)

Today — the man who just two years ago stood in front of 2,000 Cycle Oregon riders in lycra shorts (after he himself battled the day’s grueling climb) and told them he would “thread the language of bicycles into the federal transportation bill” [...]

U.S. DOT Secretary Ray LaHood.(Photo © J. Maus)

U.S. Transporation Secretary Ray LaHood issued a statement today proposing an immediate, 18-month “highway reauthorization” to the current transportation bill.
The proposal is being made in an attempt to replenish the ailing Highway Trust Fund that could run out of cash by late August.
Also, beyond the [...]

HB 2377, a bill sponsored by Rep. Carolyn Tomei that looks to strengthen laws against people who use mobile devices (texting or talking) while driving, has made it out of the Senate Rules Committee (where it was stuck last time we checked in) and is headed for a vote on the Senate floor.

Rep. Carolyn Tomei

Last time we checked in on HB 2377, it was on its way to easy passage on the House floor.
It got through the House at the end of April by a vote of 38-22. Since then, it has had one reading in the Senate, bounced around to committees and work sessions [...]

An exercise equipment store.(Photo © J. Maus)

A bill introduced by the United States House of Representatives in April would allow Americans to spend up to $1,000 in pre-tax dollars in a “flex-spend” account for the purchase of “qualified sports and fitness expenses.”
The Public Health Investment Today (PHIT) Act of 2009 (H.R. 2105, cleverly known [...]

“The transportation package passed today is the most environmentally progressive in Oregon’s history.”– From a statement by the Oregon Senate Democrats

The Oregon State Senate has voted in favor of House Bill 2001 by a margin of 24-6. The bill, which backers say will create 4,600 jobs a year, did not include any changes from [...]

As the work intensifies on Capitol Hill to re-write America’s next surface transportation bill, the lobbying is heating up to make sure it includes more money for biking and walking.
As the prime pusher of pedaling in Congress, Rep. Earl Blumenauer will play an important role in making sure those who are writing the bill understand [...]

It’s the morning after for Governor Kulongoski’s big transportation bill and a coalition of concerned advocates are trying to rally opposition. Last Friday, a special joint committee polished off final amendments and sent House Bill 2001 to the House and Senate Floors for a vote that will likely happen this week.
After seeing those amendments, [...]

The Capitol(Photo © J. Maus)

The Bicycle Transportation Alliance’s executive director and lobbyist Scott Bricker has helped lawmakers improve a new Urban Trail Fund that is part of the Governor’s transportation package.
House Bill 2001 is still being worked on down in Salem, and amendments published earlier this week were very bad news for bike [...]

Mayor Adams made a lot of promises. Has he kept them?(Photos © J. Maus)

On May 26th, less than one week from today, Mayor Adams will have been in office for 100 business days. Shortly after taking office he released his “100 Day Action Plan” which contained a range of promised accomplishments from many different [...]

Bike advocates huddled with theBTA’s Scott Bricker before testifying at the 2007 hearing.(Photo © J. Maus)

With the prospects of bike funding looking grim Salem, the residents of Portland have a chance to set a different tone.
Tonight (5/21) in Southeast Portland the Mayor and City Commissioners will listen to testimony about the Mayor’s proposed budget prior [...]

Mary O’Donnell, shown hereat a press conference for the bill last June, lost her husband due to a careless driver.(Photos © J. Maus)

At a work session of the House Judiciary Committee in Salem today, the BTA’s Vehicular Homicide Bill (HB 3399) was withdrawn from the agenda, thereby terminating its chances to become law this session.
According [...]

Inside the House Transportation Committee.(Photos © J. Maus)

As the clock ticks in Salem on the 2009 legislative session, the Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) and other bike advocates are making last ditch efforts to make Oregon’s laws more friendly to bikes.
Today in Salem, work sessions (different from public hearings in that no testimony is heard) will [...]

“I bike and walk a lot…I’m especially careful when people are on a cell phone because their attention is obviously on someone else and not me.”–State Rep. Carolyn Tomei, sponsor of a bill to ban use of mobile devices while driving.

A bill that would ban cell phones and texting while driving passed out of committee [...]

Rep. Dembrow (right) with Jay Graves (center) and Ray Thomas in the State Capitol building yesterday.(Photos © J. Maus)

Billing it as a “A new kind of town hall,” two Oregon State Legislators will lead a bike ride around their districts next month.
Representative Michael Dembrow and Senator Jackie Dingfelder — both of whom represent districts in [...]

Rep. Jules Bailey(Photo © J. Maus)

The Portland Mercury’s Matt Davis is reporting that House Representative Jules Bailey (D-SE Portland) places blame for the demise of the Idaho Stop law on the way the Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) handled the departure of Karl Rohde.
In an update to a story published yesterday on the Mercury blog, [...]

Scott Bricker speaking at the Oregon Bike Summit today.(Photo © J. Maus)

Speaking at the opening session of the Oregon Bike Summit today, Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) Executive Director Scott Bricker gave a rundown of their existing priority bills in the 2009 legislative session.
With the door officially closed on Idaho Stops (interesting report about it on [...]

“…they [legislators] had heard from a number of constituents who were very concerned and opposed to giving cyclists what they viewed as special rights.”–Doug Parrow, Chair of the BTA’s Legislative Committee

An effort to pass the “Idaho Stop Law” in Oregon has officially ceased all forward motion.
I confirmed this morning from Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) legislative [...]

“We as a society need to address and reinforce that driving and bicycling requires full concentration on the road, unfettered awareness of roadway conditions and instant attention to non-motorized roadway users.”–Jerry Norquist, in a letter to ODOT

The Oregon Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (OBPAC) has sent a formal letter to the Oregon Transportation Commission (OTC, [...]

Bricker on the steps of the Capitol in 2007.(Photo © J. Maus)

The Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) is working feverishly to garner more support for the Idaho Stop Law (HB 2690) with legislators in Salem.
According to BTA Executive Director and lobbyist Scott Bricker, the Chair of the House Transportation Committee has given him a significant hurdle [...]

BTA veteran Doug Parrow will help bolster legislative efforts in Karl Rohde’s departure.(Photos © J. Maus)

I got in touch with BTA executive director Scott Bricker today to ask him about how their recent shift in personnel would impact their 2009 legislative agenda.
On Friday, I reported that the BTA’s government relations and public affairs director Karl [...]

Tim O’Donnell’s widow, Mary O’Donnell, had these buttons made for the hearing.

Last Friday, just two days after he relieved former BTA lobbyist Karl Rohde from his duties, executive director Scott Bricker was down in Salem filling his former role as the organization’s chief lobbyist.
Bricker presented the BTA’s position on their proposed Vehicular Homicide [...]

The letter from Eugene’s bike program coordinator in opposition to the Idaho Stop bill.(Download PDF)

Last week, when the Idaho Stop Law bill — which would allow bikes to treat stop signs as yields (adopting a law similar to one already on the books in Idaho) — was in its first hearing down in Salem, [...]

[Update, 10:50am: According to a comment from Karl Rohde of the BTA, the work session has been delayed for a few weeks.]

The BTA’s Karl Rohde, seen here on the steps of the capitolearlier this week.(Photos © J. Maus)

The House Transportation Committee has scheduled a work session for the Idaho Stop law proposal (HB 2690).
The work [...]

(Photo © J. Maus)

Karl Rohde, the BTA lobbyist who is working on a bill in Salem that would allow bicycles to treat stop signs as yields (known as the “Idaho Stop law”), tells us that the fate of the bill hangs in the balance. (The bill received its first committee hearing yesterday).
According to Rohde [...]