Two news items from the Cascade Bicycle Club on Friday.
David Hiller, the advocacy director for the 13,000-member bike club, reported from the State Capitol in Olympia that the Senate's version of the Vulnerable Users bill (SB 5326) passed the House by a vote of 61-32.
That means legislators still need to hash out any differences that might have cropped up between the versions passed by the Senate and House before it's voted on one last time. Then it goes to Gov. Gregoire for her signature.
What the law does
If it becomes law, the Vulnerable Users bill would hold negligent drivers accountable when they injure or kill a vulnerable road user, such as a bicyclist or pedestrian. In most cases presently, negligent motorists face little more than a simple traffic ticket in such cases.
The bill would impose a fine of $1,000 to $5,000 and suspend driving privileges for 90 days, unless the person appears in court and agrees to a $250 fine, completes a safe driving course and performs 100 hours of community service.
Vulnerable user bills also were proposed in Maryland and New Mexico this year.
Passage of the Senate version came as welcome news, after a companion bill from the House (HB 1339) failed to make it out of a Senate committee earlier in the day.
Congratulations to Cascade and the Bicycle Alliance of Washington for their hard work on this measure.
Bike club election
Also Friday, Cascade announced the top vote-getters in the Board of Directors election. Nine nominees were elected to serve three-year terms. They are:
Bill Ptacek
Daniel Weise
Don Volta
Emily Moran
George Durham
Kevin Carrabine
Michael Snyder
Ron Sher
Tarrell Wright.
Congratulations to these new members, who will take their positions at the board meeting on April 29.
Approximately 700 club members voted in the election.
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