SB 546 the Land Owner Liability bill that further limits the liability of Railroads who permit access across their tracks for recreational activities was REPORTED out of the Senate Ag Committee this morning with only two (McEachin and Obenshain, both of whom are trial lawyers and feel that the bill gives RRs too much immunity) Senators opposed.

Thanks to all who called their Senators to support the bill! Now its on to the full Senate floor, and ALL should now contact their Senators to support the bill there.

Wednesday morning’s House Transportation Sub Committee 2 @ 7 a.m. has several bills on the docket of interest to cyclists [continue reading…]

It’s time to help support two of the most important pieces of legislation for bicyclists in Virginia this year. If your legislators are listed below, please write to them immediately, and ask them to support these bills in committee. In particular, SB 546 will be heard in the morning (Monday), so send your legislator a note now if you’re still up, and if not, then first thing in the morning. HB 1048 will be heard Wednesday morning, but send your letter ASAP.

SB 546 amends Virginia’s landowner liability law to specifically protect railroads from recreational use liability. This includes bike and pedestrian crossings as well as rails with trails. We believe railroads are protected under current statute, but they’ve countered that they’re not specifically mentioned. This amendment removes all doubt. This bill will be heard in the Senate Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Committee on Monday morning. If your Senator is on this committee, as listed here, please contact them immediately and ask them to support SB 546: Ticer (Chairman); Whipple, Hanger, Watkins, Reynolds, Puckett, Ruff, Blevins, Obenshain, McDougle, McEachin, Petersen, Northam, Stuart, Marsden.

HB 1048 changes the minimum distance for passing a bicyclist to three feet, from the current (ridiculous) two feet. Fifteen other states now have three feet to pass laws. HB 1048 also prohibits a motorist from following a bicyclist too closely, to prevent harassment by tailgating. This bill will be heard in House Transportation Subcommittee 2 on Wednesday morning. If your delegate is Carrico, Oder, Rust, Garrett, Cox, Ward, or Carr, please contact them and ask them to support HB 1048. Rust, Oder, and Garrett are probably the swing votes, so they’re the ones we especially need to write to.

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Things are very slow in getting posted to the Legislative website, so I have not heard how HB163 Vehicles Passing in the Same Lane made out in House Transportation this morning. Not critical to us, but curious since I heard it in Sub Committee, and will check to see how it fared today.

In Senate Transportation this afternoon, SB 228 Patroned by Sen. Barker from Fairfax & Prince William, which is the Senate version of Stop for Pedestrians in Marked Crosswalks, was reported out unanimously, and now goes on to the Full Senate, where it should have no trouble. Then we’ll see how it does in House Transportation after cross over. It will have tough sledding over there, but hopefully, it will go to the full committee and not to Sub-Committee 2, where I guarantee it will be Dead on Arrival. I spoke in favor of it, as well as all the usual supporters, which numbered eight in all. [continue reading…]

As mentioned to some earlier who were asking why we were supporting HB 163, this bill was heard in House Transportation Sub Committee 2 this morning at 7 a.m. The patron did not have anyone there to explain what problem the bill was intended to solve, and wasn’t clear himself, other than that some of his constituents in Spotsylvania County had been wrongfully ticketed, and that this was intended to correct the problem. Since no one was clear on what the problem was, the Sub Comm. decided to report the bill to the full Transportation Comm. where Del. Orrock would either have a full explanation of what the problem was, or would withdraw the bill. Since the only reference to bicycles was that one could properly be passed in the same lane by a motor vehicle (and it was mentioned in the discussion that that would have to be done by at least 24 inches) I did not attempt to enter the discussion. The bill is on the docket to be heard by the full Committee tomorrow morning.

HB 469 Stop for Pedestrians in Marked Crosswalks was also heard in this sub committee, and was [continue reading…]