for the bill last summer.
(Photos courtesy Krummel’s office.)
Wilsonville Republican Jerry Krummel wants to give “Eric’s Law” another try.
The measure (House Bill 3020, named after cyclist Eric Kautzky who was killed by a sleepy driver in 2005) would allow relatives of cyclists or pedestrians killed on Oregon’s roadways to request that ODOT install special memorial signs in their honor.
On Friday, Krummel announced that “Eric’s Law” has been approved for consideration during the upcoming special legislative session to kick off in February 2008.
Krummel tried to push the measure into law last session but it did not muster necessary support.
Back in June, after the bill failed to get out of committee, Krummel issued a press release blaming Democrats for its demise.
In a press release sent out by his office last Friday Krummel said, “It was heartbreaking to work so hard on this bill only to see it rejected on party lines at the end of Session.”
Eric’s widow, Lorna Kautzky said she’s “pleased to see this issue finally getting the attention it deserves” and she blamed the bill’s initial failure on “political football”.
Krummel calls his bill “common sense legislation” and says in the press release that, “Perhaps all the recent news accounts of bike fatalities have helped generate renewed interest.”
But many cyclists differ with Krummel and have expressed concerns about the bill. In a comment on this site, Sellwood resident Dan Kaufman said,
“I challenge Rep. Krummel to write a bill for next session that will actually get more folks (of all ages and exerpience) on bicycles and does so because they are in an environment that is truly safer.”
Another reader named Phil Hanson wrote that, “HB 3020 was more of a “feel good” bill than it was a bike safety bill, and legislators were right to nix it.”
Supporters of the bill last session included the Bicycle Transportation Alliance and Willamette Pedestrian Coalition and the Washington County Bicycle Transportation Coalition.