Hearing scheduled for DC Bicycle Legislation

On Tuesday, December 8, 2015, Councilmember Mary M. Cheh, Chairperson of the Committee on Transportation and the Environment, will hold a public hearing on four bills, three of which are relevant to cyclist and cycling.

• B21-0335, the Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Act of 2015; which would change District laws regarding motor vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians, including requiring the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) to publish certain statistical data on its website, establish a Bicycle and Pedestrian Priority Area Program, and adopt a complete streets policy. In addition, B21-0335 would update dooring prevention rules, allow bicyclists to observe stop signs as yield signs, amend insurance laws related to bicycle insurance, and create an aggressive driving offense, among other things.
• B21-0383, the Vision Zero Act of 2015; would also change District laws regarding motor vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians, including requiring DDOT to adopt and maintain an inclusive Complete Streets system, enhancing penalties for all-terrain vehicles in the public-right of way, increasing penalties for persons convicted of DUIs, DWIs, or OWIs, and increasing penalties for distracted driving, among other things.
• B21-0021, the Enhanced Penalties for Distracted Driving Amendment Act of 2015 would increase penalties for distracted driving,
• B21-0029, the Failure to Yield for Emergency Vehicles Amendment Act of 2015 would increase penalties for failure to yield the right-of-way to emergency vehicles. The hearing will begin at 11:00 a.m. in Room 500 of the John A. Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.

The Committee invites the public to testify or to submit written testimony, which will be made a part of the official Hearing Record. Anyone wishing to testify should contact Ms. Aukima Benjamin, staff assistant to the Committee on Transportation and the Environment, at (202) 724-8062 or via e-mail at [email protected].

For more on these bills, you can follow my links above to prior posts on them or read WABA's post on them. 

No word on the Motor Vehicle Collision Recovery Act of 2015 (the contributory negligence bill) which will be handled by a different committee.

Comments

[Jay]

Where/what time?

[washcycle]

Tuesday, December 8, 2015
at 11:00 a.m.
in Room 500 of the
John A. Wilson Building
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20004