[*BCM*] Politics

[Jim Leonard]

Because it was such a bitch for me to find, I'm posting a url for the 
full text of the bill (why isn't this listed on massbike's website?):

	http://www.mass.gov/legis/bills/senate/185/st01/st01414.htm

So that you can find the text of the laws that this bill would be 
modifying, Mass General Law can be found here:

	http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws/mgl/

section 85-11a-d (most of the bicycling laws) can be found starting here:

	http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws/mgl/85-11a.htm

and click next a few times.  (note that the entire first section that 
this link points to would be stricken entirely by the new bicycle bill.

--jim

On Fri, Oct 05, 2007 at 03:52:37PM -0400, Nadav Carmel wrote:
> Changes to the traffic laws can only be made by the state legislature- not
> by the governor, or the police, or the RMV.
> 
> Any legislator can introduce a bill. For traffic-related issues they tend to
> go to the Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security
> (http://www.mass.gov/legis/comm/j22.htm) and then through the committee
> process like any other bill.
> 
> Which is where the current Bicycle Safety Bill is. It had a hearing before
> the Committee (on Public Safety and Homeland Security) in the spring, and
> now all we can do is wait and check in periodically with the sponsors.
> 
> It actually was passed by both houses last year, but then vetoed by the
> outgoing administration, Kerry Healey specifically.
> 
> And this is timely (we couldn't have arranged a better plant) because we are
> sending out the Action Alert below in our newsletter right now:
> 
> Action Alert: Help Get Bicyclist Safety Bill Out of Committee
> We need your help to get the Bicyclist Safety Bill out of the Committee on
> Public Safety and Homeland Security.  This is essentially the same bill that
> was passed by both houses of the Legislature last December, then vetoed by
> the outgoing administration, forcing us to start over.  The bill, Senate
> 1414, called “An Act Relative to Bicyclist Safety”, can be viewed here.
> 
> 
> 
> The key provisions of the bill are: police training on bicycle law;
> clarification of how to safely pass a bicycle; clarification of how to
> safely make turns in front of bicycles; “dooring” subject to ticket and
> fine; riding two abreast permitted when it does not impede cars from
> passing; improved enforcement of bicycle law for both motorists and
> bicyclists; and additional legal protections for bicyclists who choose to
> ride to the right of other traffic.
> 
> 
> 
> The Public Safety Committee held a hearing on this bill in June, and
> MassBike and others testified in support of it.  Now we need the Committee
> to report favorably on the bill, so that it can move to the next step in the
> legislative process.  We are still a few steps away from getting the bill
> passed again.
> 
> 
> 
> Here is what we need you to do:
> 
> 1.  Email the co-chairs of the Public Safety Committee, Senator James
> Timilty (James.Timilty at state.ma.us) and Representative Michael Costello
> (Rep.MichaelCostello at hou.state.ma.us) to ask that S1414, An Act Relative to
> Bicyclist Safety, be reported favorably.
> 
> 2.  Call or email your state representative and your state senator and ask
> each of them to contact the co-chairs of the Public Safety Committee to say
> they want S1414, An Act Relative to Bicyclist Safety, reported favorably.
> 
> Your participation counts – don’t assume that everyone else will do it!
> 
> 
> 
> Click here to find contact information for your State Representative (called
> “Rep in General Court”) and State Senator (called “Senate in General
>  Court”).
> 
> http://www.wheredoivotema.com/bal/myelectioninfo.php
> 
> 
>   -----Original Message-----
>   From: bostoncriticalmass-bounces at bostoncriticalmass.org
> [mailto:bostoncriticalmass-bounces at bostoncriticalmass.org]On Behalf Of Lee
> Peters
>   Sent: Friday, October 05, 2007 2:55 PM
>   To: Boston Critical Mass
>   Subject: [*BCM*] Politics
> 
> 
>   Dear MassBike Lurkers,
> 
>   Who, at the state level, determines the Mass. driving laws?  Which
> committees?
> 
>   and
> 
>   Did that bike bill ever pass?  The one making it illegal to door a
> bicyclist.

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