2013 Legislative Agenda
As the voice in Sacramento for everyone who wants to transform our communities into places where many more people feel comfortable and safe bicycling, we are working on the following legislative priorities.
More funding for bike projects
WATCH the budget trailer bill, seek additional funding for bicycling, and ensure that the program supports our goal of tripling bicycling in California.
Better bikeway design
SUPPORT AB 1193 (Ting) – This bill would free local agencies from the restrictions of the California Highway Design Manual whose prohibition against cycle tracks prevents them from creating the safest possible bikeways. We are the CO-SPONSORS of this bill along with the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. Download the fact sheet. Download our support letter. Download a sample letter to send on your own.
Ease review requirements of traffic impacts of bike projects
1. SUPPORT AB 417 (Frazier) – This bill would exempt from review a bike plan and its projects to the extent its impacts are limited to traffic, bicycle parking infrastructure and signage. Download the fact sheet.
2. Work with environmental groups to clarify the intent of last year’s AB 2254, so that local agencies can be sure that traffic impacts of bike lanes do not have to be substantially mitigated in order to qualify for exemption from review.
Other important bills
SUPPORT AB 184 (Gatto) – Extends the statute of limitations on hit-and-run crimes, making it easier to catch the perpetrators of hit-and-run crimes. Read our support letter.
OPPOSE AB 738 (Harkey) – Provides public agencies with extreme immunity from lawsuits for dangerous conditions on bikeways. Read more…
SUPPORT AB 1194 (Ammiano) – Protects Safe Routes to School programs in the state transportation budget.
SUPPORT AB 1290 (Perez) – Changes the membership of the California Transportation Commission to give the legislature and public more oversight over its priorities. Read our support letter.
SUPPORT AB380 (Dickinson) – Improves the procedure for disclosing agency decisions about whether a project is subject to environmental review.
SUPPORT AB 1002 (Bloom) – Adds a $6 per vehicle registration fee to pay for planning and implementation of active transportation projects. We are advocating for an amendment to exempt from the fee those jurisdictions who increase the rate of vehicle registration fee beyond the current state rate. Read our support letter.
SUPPORT the constitutional amendment to lower the threshold for voter approval of transportation sales taxes from two-thirds to 55%.
SUPPORT AB 666 (Wieckowski) – Improves California’s red light enforcement camera program. Read our support letter.
POSITION PENDING ON AB 840 (Ammiano) – Requires applicants for driver’s licenses to state a commitment to avoid distracted driving, improving education on the issue and the prospects of prosecution of distracted drivers.
WATCH for bills related to the definition of “bicycle” in the vehicle code so that electric bicycles are included in the definition but scooters and other similar, faster devices are prohibited from bike facilities.
