California Legislative Update: Protected Bike Lanes for All!

Well, the legislative session came to an end on September 30, the last chance for Governor Jerry Brown to sign or veto bills that the legislature had passed. Here is a rundown of the action by Governor Brown on bills that we supported:Yay!AB 1193, Protected Bikeways bill: Passed - Protected bike lanes, where formerly illegal, are now legal and encouraged by the California Department of Transportation. Caltrans must now write guidelines for these types of facilities, which are protected from vehicle traffic by a barrier, either curb, planter, bollard, or other physical separation. These types of bikeways have been shown to increase bicycling in many other communities because of the comfort and perception of safety.Also passed were AB 2707, which will allow buses to have 3-bike bike racks on the front of buses instead of the current 2-bike racks, expanding capacity, and SB 1183, which allows a city, county, or regional park district to apply a special motor vehicle surcharge of <$5 which would go towards bicycle infrastructure.Boo!The bills below would have helped to make the roads safer and send a strong message that bicyclists deserve to be safe on our state's roadways. However, Brown vetoed all of them, ostensibly because of the desire not to create more crimes and penalties.AB 2398, Vulnerable Users bill: Vetoed - Despite the more than 100 signatures we gathered on a petition for this bill, as well as the many signatures CalBike gathered, Brown vetoed this bill that would have increased fines from a paltry $60-90 to a still-low but more appropriate $220-300. While other states around the country have passed similar and more aggressive bills, California remains behind.AB 1532, Hit and Run bill: Vetoed - This bill would have required a 6-month license suspension following a hit-and-run that involves less-serious injuries (currently there is no penalty).AB 47, Yellow Alert for Hit and Run drivers: Vetoed - This bill would have created a “Yellow Alert” to notify the public when a hit and run resulting in a death or serious bodily injury has occurred and provide information about the vehicle or suspect involved, increasing the chance that the motorist who demonstrates reckless disregard for human life will be brought to justice.A special thank you to the California Bicycle Coalition for working hard on the state bills this year and every year. To read more about bicycle legislation this session, check out CalBike's legislation page.