You can also read about the BTA’s legislative efforts on their website.
The National Bike Bill — which was introduced back in February by U.S. Congressmen Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) — made its first appearance on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives this morning. The bill (House Congressional Resolution 305, full text here) seeks to buoy the efforts of bike advocates nationwide and “recognize the importance … Read more
The streets of Washington DC, Chicago, and New York City will get better for bikes thanks to new laws. Riding on SW Broadway in downtown Portland.(Photos © J. Maus)
Now it’s onto the Senate. More on this story was published yesterday. Official press release from Blumenauer’s office is below:
Blumenauer, shown here at the National Bike Summit last year, hopes his Bike Commuter Act will finally fly with lawmakers.(Photo © J. Maus) On the heels of record profits by the big five oil companies, U.S. Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-Portland) will once again try to enact a tax benefit for bike commuters and close the … Read more
[Updated: 2/26, 11:37 am – I’ve added audio from the Councilmembers’ testimony (see below).] Last night, the Vancouver City Council voted 5-1 in favor of an expanded, all-ages helmet law. More photos here.(Photos © J. Maus)
“The cascading effect of others with equally well intentioned objectives to use the right of way for their expressions is something that we must be mindful of.”–Oregon state Senator Rick Metsger For the second time in a row, the roadside memorial sign bill (HB 3623) has failed reach passage by the Oregon legislature. After it … Read more
Senator Rick Metsger, shown here in a file photo, has not supportedthe bill.(Photo © J. Maus) The only bicycle-related bill in the abbreviated legislative session in Salem is on life support. HB 3623, which would allow bereaved families to request (and pay for) the installation of a “roadside memorial sign that commemorates a bicyclist or … Read more
Congressman Earl Blumenauer introducing the Bike Commuter Act on Capitol Hill last March.(Photo © Jonathan Maus) The bike commuter tax benefit — which was introduced to Congress by Earl Blumenauer last March and passed a House vote last week — has been stripped out of the Energy Bill by the Senate. The U.S. Senate passed … Read more
Rep. Krummel at a press event 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 … Read more
[See below for YouTube version of McHenry’s statement.] Poster that accompanied a statement on the House floor by Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC) who said bicycles were a, “19th century solution to a 21st century problem.”
A bill that would have allowed bicyclists to yield at stop signs passed the Oregon House in 2003.(File photo) Continuing the discussion of whether or not Oregon should seek an Idaho-style, roll-and-go stop sign law for bicycles, I recently looked back at our previous flirtation with the idea. Back in the 2003 legislative session, Senator … Read more
I was surprised last week when Senator Floyd Prozanski introduced a vehicular homicide bill (SB 1058) with just a week left in the session. Knowing how long it takes to push a bill through the system, it was obvious the bill had no chance of passing. So what was the point? I wondered the same … Read more