[*BCM*] Politics

[thom3 at aol.com]

would you be willing to jump in on a group to pursue this matter??


Tom


-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Leonard <jim_bcm at xuth.net>
To: Boston Critical Mass <list at bostoncriticalmass.org>
Sent: Fri, 5 Oct 2007 4:46 pm
Subject: Re: [*BCM*] Politics



Because it was such a bitch for me to find, I'm posting a url for the 
ull 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 
odifying, 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 
his 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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