chair Doug Parrow.
(Photo © J. Maus)
The BTA’s Board Chair Mary Roberts sent out a letter via email today with updates on “major initiatives” they’re working on.
Here are a few bits from the letter that caught my eye:
Preparing for the 2011 Legislative Session
The legislature will be making critical decisions about transportation and bicycling in 2011. The BTA will present a legislative package, including a vehicular homicide law, to make Oregon safer and more convenient for bicyclists.
The BTA’s lobbyist, Doug Parrow, was in Salem for a hearing on a new vehicular homicide bill last week. He laid out their intention to make a push to pass it in the 2011 session (there was some hope that it might be taken up this year).
Here’s what Parrow proposed to legislators at the hearing:
For drivers who kill while violating a traffic law when their drivers’ license is suspended or revoked:
Class C Felony with Crime severity indicating presumptive prison time of 6-10 months for causing death while driving with suspended or revoked driver license and committing a violation of traffic law. This proposal follows the example of the law used in Arizona.For other drivers who kill while violating a traffic law:
Class A Misdemeanor (probation and up to one year local jail time) for causing death while driving and committing a violation of traffic law. This proposal is similar to the laws in Nebraska, Nevada and North Carolina. (The states of Alabama and Georgia have felony crimes for this level of behavior and Hawaii and Idaho make it a misdemeanor to kill due to simple negligence even if there is no traffic law violation).
The other big announcement in this letter had to do with the BTA’s largest fundraiser of the year — the Alice B. Toeclips awards. Usually held in March, this time around the date has been pushed to June 5th. The event also moves from the huge expanse of the Oregon Convention Center to the Bison Building at NE 9th and Glisan.
Read more from the letter here.