FABB is working with the Virginia Bicycling Federation (VBF), Washington Area Bicycling Association (WABA), and other bike advocates to champion bicyclist- and pedestrian-friendly legislation at this year’s General Assembly session.
We need people who bike, those who love people who bike, and everyone who wants safer roads and an end to vulnerable road user deaths to Speak Up! and let our delegates and senators know that you support these proposed laws.
Our top priority bill is HB1266 Bicycles, Certain Other Vehicles, and Pedestrians, which implements several changes to bicycle (scooter, etc.) operation including Safety Stop, Riding Two Abreast, and reduced “As Far Right as Possible” language.
Other high priorities are:
- HB1077 Standalone Safety Stop – allows riders to treat stop signs (with exceptions) as yield signs.
- HB657 Bikes May Proceed on Walk Signal – provides people riding a bicycle with the same safety benefits as pedestrians when an intersection includes a Leading Pedestrian Interval.
- HB21/HB1072 School Crossing Zones – expands the definition of school zones to include areas surrounding schools where the presence of students reasonably requires a special warning to motorists (for example, additional signage, slower posted speed, and complements to the Automated Speed Enforcement Program).
- HB937 Student Transportation and Innovative Alternatives to School Buses – prevents school districts from losing transportation funds for implementing innovative low-cost or no-cost alternatives such as bike buses.
- HB748 E-bike Rebate Program – provides a $500 rebate applied toward payment for the purchase of a new electric power-assisted bicycle and an additional $600 for households under 300% of federal poverty level.
- HB793 Reduction of Speed Limits – expands authority of any locality to reduce speed limit to less than 25 miles per hour on any road.
Other bills to support:
- HB20 Photo Speed Monitoring – allows localities to implement photo speed monitoring (Automated Speed Enforcement) in any location.
- SB336 Photo Speed Monitoring for Intersections – allows localities to implement photo speed monitoring in “high-risk intersection segment” (defined in the bill).
Please contact your legislators and let them know you support these bills. Find their name and contact information here: https://whosmy.virginiageneralassembly.gov/
And please share this post on your social media, with your clubs, groups, bike shops, friends and family.
Check out VBF’s Bill Watcher to keep track of these initiatives progress.
Questions? Contact FABB at [email protected].
