rule

SB248: Senate Transportation Committee Hearing Feb. 14!!

SB248, the Safe Passing Bill, which was authored by Senator Rodney Ellis, will be presented to the Senate Transportation Committee on Wednesday, February 14. We are working to present our case and need help from constituents in the districts of the Senate Transportation Committee members.

With the Senate Transportation Committee Hearing approaching next week, it is urgent that you contact your SENATOR if he/she is on the Senate Transportation Committee. The Senate Transportation Committee members are: Senate District 2 - Senator Bob Deuell (R), Senate District 3 - Senator Robert Nichols (R), Senate District 4 - Senator Tommy Williams (R), Senate District 8 - Senator Florence Shapiro (R), Senate District 10 - Senator Kim Brimer (R), Senate District 13 - Senator Rodney Ellis (D), Senate District 14 - Senator Kirk Watson (D), Senate District 16 - Senator John Carona (R), Senate District 25 - Senator Jeff Wentworth (R), Senate District 29 - Senator Eliot Shapleigh (D).

If you are not sure who your state senator is, follow this link: https://www.fyi.legi s.state.tx.us/ and enter your address to find out who represents you.

Please send a letter and contact your Senator if you live in his/her district to show your support of the Safe Passing Bill. This is the most important legislation for cyclists in Texas' history. We will be protecting the lives of cyclists throughout the state.

SB248: The Safe Passing Bill
The Safe Passing Bill would require a motorist to give at least three feet of clearance when passing a bicyclist and would require a commercial vehicle to give at least six feet of clearance when passing a bicyclist.

Approximately 50 cyclists per year are killed in bicycle-automobile crashes in Texas. About 40% of those are killed by motorists traveling in the same direction. Most of those 20 deaths per year could be prevented if this law were enacted and obeyed by motorists.

The Safe Passing Law, modeled on the Move Over Act (for emergency vehicles) which passed in the 2003 Texas legislative session, simplifies the punishment issues and provides a clear framework for identifying the obligations of a passing motorist to either move over or slow down when passing a cyclist. With this law, the vision of "Share the Road" can be fully realized.
Learn more...

Texas Bicycle Coalition
The Texas Bicycle Coalition is continually working to advance bicycle access, safety, and education for the state of Texas.

Website: https://www.BikeTexas.org/

Texas Bicycle Coalition
Robin Stallings
Executive Director
email: advocacy@biketexas.org
phone: 512-476-7433 Texas Bicycle Coalition
Kristina Gaboury
Membership Director
email: membership@biketexas.org
phone: 512-476-7433



FYI - if you are in my North Texas neck of the woods Shapiro's district ranges through McKinney, Frisco, Allen, Plano, Richardson, Wylie, Sachse, Carrollton, Farmers Branch, Dallas and Irving. So follow the link to her website and drop her a note. Many thanks!

SpiderMike

Thanks for the heads up. Crossing my fingers about now...

cuda2k

Thanks for the heads up. I will be writing a letter asap.

h2omojo

My Senator isn't on the committe but I still sent her an email asking her to urge the Senators that are to vote yes!

Thanks for the heads up.

RdRash

emailed my senator. thanks for the info !

Paniolo

Thanks for the heads up! Email sent to Sen Shapiro, also crossposted to the Plano Bike Assoc forums.

rule

Hey good job all. And thanks Paniolo! Every bit of contact helps, a lot more than you might think.

rule

Here's an update from Texas Bicycle Coalition <membership@biketexas.org>:

SB248, The Safe Passing Bill, which is co- authored by Senator Rodney Ellis and Chairman John Carona, was presented to the State Senate Transportation and Homeland Security Committee on Wednesday, February 14. There was a great show of support from the cycling community, and for that, Texas Bicycle Coalition (TBC) would like to thank all those that were present at the hearing and that wrote letters to their Senators. The show of advocacy from our constituents was a success. Robin Stallings testified on behalf of the bill, and the expert witness for the bill was Montgomery County Prosecutor Mike MacDougal.

The bill passed the Senate committee and will now be presented to the “Local and Consent Committee." It will pass the Senate without debate unless a Senator chooses to flag it for debate. Therefore, at this time, letters to Senators and Representatives are no longer needed. TBC will issue further Action Alerts as progress is made on SB248.

Continue to check our website for updates on SB248.


Thanks again all. Your voice does help!

Soonerinfrisco

My Senator is Janet Nelson and she even sent me back a response to my email assuring me that she supported the bill last time and will support it again.

rule

Sweet!

h2omojo

This is what I got:

h2omojo

One thing that I found ironic about this...Sen Wentworth is the same guy that tried to pass that crazy bill a few years ago requiring all cyclists riding on rural roads to have one of those giant orange triangles on their bikes and all kinds of rules about riding single file and limiting the number of people in a group.