You can also read about the BTA’s legislative efforts on their website.
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At a work session of the House Judiciary Committee in Salem today, the BTA’s Vehicular Homicide Bill (HB 3399) was withdrawn from the agenda, thereby terminating its chances to become law this … Read more
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 … Read more
“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 … Read more
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 … Read more
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 … Read more
“…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 … Read more
“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 … Read more
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 … Read more
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 … Read more
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 … Read more
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, … Read more
[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 … Read more