[*BCM*] Politics (Jim Leonard)

[Tom Revay]

On Fri, 5 Oct 2007 16:46:35 -0400, Jim Leonard <jim_bcm at xuth.net> wrote:
 >
 > 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

It is! It's on the current front page (http://www.massbike.org/ ), at 
the link, "Action Alert: Help Get Bicyclist Safety Bill Out of Committee!".

That link goes to http://www.massbike.org/news/action_alert_100507.htm , 
which contains this message:

--------------------
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, 
and 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 (at 
http://www.mass.gov/legis/bills/senate/185/st01/st01414.htm ).

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!
--------------------

This alert also went out to the MassBike mailing list last week. Please 
take the time to contact your legislators! (If you need to find out who 
they are, you can do that at
http://www.wheredoivotema.com/bal/myelectioninfo.php ).

-- Tom Revay