Active Transportation Bills Advance to Governor’s Desk

For Immediate Release 9/7/22

Contact: Jared Sanchez, CalBike (714) 262-0921, Jared@CalBike.org

CalBike: Active Transportation Bills Now on Governor Newsom’s Desk

Sacramento, CA – A slate of active transportation bills backed by the California Bicycle Coalition is now on Gov. Newsom’s desk. He has until September 30 to sign them into law. These bills make it easier and safer for Californians to choose biking, walking, and public transit as their everyday transportation.

Jared Sanchez, senior policy advocate at CalBike, said, “The success of this legislation shows that our elected officials take the climate crisis seriously and are prepared to address it. Active transportation helps reduce the climate impacts of California’s transportation system and invests in clean alternatives for low-income communities who suffer the most from California’s air pollution.”

Two Cal Bike-sponsored bills on the Governor’s desk 

The Plan for the Future Bill (SB 932, Portantino) will require general plans to include active transportation in their circulation elements and build them rather than sitting on those plans. 

The Freedom to Walk Bill (AB 2147, Ting) will prevent police from issuing jaywalking tickets unless the street crossing is truly dangerous.

Bills CalBike supported in 2022 awaiting signature

The OmniBike Bill (AB 1909, Friedman) edits the California Vehicle Code to make it more bike-friendly, including requiring cars to change lanes to pass bikes when possible.

The E-Bike Incentives Bill (AB 117, Boerner Horvath) codifies a program included in last year’s budget with a $10 million allocation to give low-income Californians vouchers to help them purchase an electric bicycle. 

CalBike also strongly supports these active transportation bills awaiting the governor’s signature:

• AB 2438 Friedman – Align transportation funding with climate goals
• SB 457 Portantino and Wilk – Car-free tax credit
• AB 2097 Friedman – No auto parking minimums near transit
• SB 1079 Portantino – Sound-activated enforcement devices
• SB 1472 Stern – Speeding and reckless driving  
• SB 307 McGuire – Great Redwood Trail Agency authorization
• SB 1230 Limon – Zero-emission and near-zero emission vehicle incentive programs  
• SB 922 Wiener – CEQA exemptions for transit and active transportation infrastructure
• AB 1919 Holden – Free student transit passes
• AB 2264 Bloom – Pedestrian head start at crossing signals
• SB 1107 Dodd – Protect California Drivers Act of 2022 increases liability insurance
• AB 2863 Wilson – Bike parking standards in building codes (research)

We hope Governor Newsom signs every one of these bills into law. 

Bills already signed

The governor has already signed some of the bike-friendly bills that reached his desk, two relating to bicycle education.

• AB 1946 (Boerner Horvath) requires Caltrans to develop statewide safety standards and training programs for users of e-bikes.
  
• AB 2028 (Davies) expands permitted school bicycle safety education partnerships in elementary and middle schools to include any agency or organization (not just law enforcement) at any public school.
  
• AB 2174 (Chen) will treat bikes and scooters as vehicles for purposes of towing regulations.