State-Laws

[caption id="" align=“aligncenter” width=“500” caption=“Photo By: George Thomas”][/caption]

With the end of the legislative session, we now can report on the final disposition of the four major cycling bills that were being considered this year:

• SB443: Requires bicycle safety questions on the driver’s license exam. Passed and signed by the governor.
• HB2049: Designates Route 66 as the Historic Route 66 Bike Trail.  Originally, the bill only partly covered Route 66, but in the end it was expanded to cover the entire length. Passed and signed by the governor.
• SB487: Would have allowed for  an optional $5 donation during driver’s license renewals to go for bicycle safety education. Died waiting for final vote after reconciliation.
• SB951: Probably the most important bill in this year’s session would have clarified the 3-foot rule and would have increased penalties for people throwing objects at cyclists. Died in Senate Subcommittee.

Photo By: Mr. T in DC

Over the last couple of months four new bills regarding bicycling have been introduced to the Oklahoma Legislature and are making their way through the committee and floor processes. The first three are part of the safety legislation that Sen. Andrew Rice has been discussing for the last several months and the last designates old Route 66 as a bicycle trail.

After this week’s announcement by State Senator Andrew Rice of new bicycle legislation comes this in depth story about the reaction of state bicycle groups in the Norman Transcript:

Bicycling groups across the state said they support a new legislative package designed to protect riders and motorists. However, many cyclists are calling for the state to do more to educate residents and enforce existing laws and practices.

. . .

“I am excited to a certain point, but I’m also very leery because there is not much more you can do to regulate and put in new laws with restrictions,” said Matt Bradbury, vice president of the Ada Cycling Club. “The biggest thing really is education and awareness.”

[Read More]

State Senator Andrew Rice released the following statement regarding new bicycle safety legislature today:

Sen. Andrew Rice announced today that he will be filing legislation for the upcoming session to help better protect bicyclists in Oklahoma. The Oklahoma democrat said the legislation is necessary following the recent deaths of three Oklahomans in bicycle-related accidents.

“Our job as legislators is to ensure the public’s safety, and we need to do what we can to keep everyone on Oklahoma’s roads safe, and that includes bicyclists,” said Rice, Senate Democratic Leader elect. “I’m looking forward to working with my colleagues in the Legislature, the Department of Public Safety and others concerned with this issue to see how we can best prevent further accidents and unnecessary deaths.”

[Read More]