News: 3 Foot Passing Law Back From Dead! Contact Your Rep To Support HB 101 TODAY!
The 3-foot passing law is back from the dead and is now a part of HB 101, the “better biking” bill.
On Tuesday, HB 101 passed the GA Senate 47-4, with a friendly amendment that adding the three feet safe passing law. Now the bill is going back to the House for the changes to be approved. According to the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition:
“Since it was amended, it goes back to the House for a vote. The bill previously passed the House with a very slim margin — just two votes — so we need to get as many additional votes as possible to ensure passage. If it does not pass the House, it goes to an appointed conference committee that has full discretion to tinker with the bill.” This would NOT be a good thing.
Even if your Representative is someone who has voiced support for the 3 feet safe passing bill in the past, please be sure to mention that the bill now includes that measure. There are some external politics that could impact this vote so do not assume that your local rep will support this bill. This is an opportunity for everyone to rise above party politics to protect their constituents’ lives and to make bicycling safer and more feasible throughout this state and your voice still matter. Visit www.votesmart.org to contact your rep TODAY to let you know that you expect them to support this piece of “common sense” legislation that will save lives.
ABC has posted a list of the yeas and neas for the first vote in the house. Some of the neas may surprise you too so, before you call, please check this list to see how your Representative voted: HB 101 Roll Call Vote List.
Senate changes include: * An amendment defining the minimum safe passing distance as three feet * Removal of language prohibiting parking in bicycle lanes (In some areas, bicycle lanes have been inappropriately installed in on street parking areas. Georgia Bikes! plans to work on this issue.) * Removal of language requiring children under the age of 1 year to wear a helmet (no helmets are manufactured for this age group)