The Virginia Bicycling Federation (VBF) has been in a leading role for five bills in the House of Delegates for the 2024 General Assembly session that started January 10, and has supported numerous other initiatives for safe streets such as granting authority to allow jurisdictions the option to expand Automated Speed Enforcement and allocating additional funding to highway safety programs for people who walk and bike.

Catch Up Quick: Four of five VBF bills advanced from their subcommittee hearings, the first of five rounds necessary to advance a bill to the Governor’s Desk. There were other not-so-good results, but overall, a good week with more work ahead.

Action that you can take to help advance bicycling and safe streets initiatives:

GOOD:

  • Delegate Carr’s Safety Stop (HB1077) and Delegate Sullivan’s HB657, which would allow people on bicycles to proceed on a walk signal, both passed 7Y –1N with bipartisan support from the House Highway Safety and Policy subcommittee this week. VBF’s extensive engagement with Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) staff starting in March 2023 was critical to this success, combined with strong advocacy from across the Commonwealth.
  • Delegate Willett’s HB1266, an Omnibus Safety Bill with Safety Stop and allowing riding two abreast in limited circumstances, also passed the same subcommittee, but with a 5Y–3N vote on a partisan basis. Delegate Anne Tata (R -Virginia Beach) indicated she was voting No in opposition to bicyclists riding two abreast. All three bicycling safety bills will be heard Tuesday 02/06 at 9 AM in the House Transportation Committee.
  • Delegate LeVere Bolling’s HB937 was amended to convey the intent of the General Assembly that school boards encourage walking and bike school buses as innovative low-cost or no-cost alternatives to school buses transportation. The bill reported unanimously (22Y—0N) from House Appropriations and will be voted on in the full House in the coming week.

 

Not-so good:

  • Delegate Josh Thomas E-bike rebate bill (HB748) was tabled in subcommittee – effectively killing it for this session. The bill generated positive comments in the subcommittee discussion that indicate hope for future bills. HB748 would have created an E-Bike Incentive Program with $2.6 million annually for the next two years, and with eighty percent of those funds allocated to rebates for people living with low-income.

 

­­­­­­­­­­­Key Updates for other safe streets initiatives:

  • Automated Speed Enforcement: Senator Roem’s SB336, a bill to expand Automated Speed Enforcement to high-risk intersection segments (defined in the bill) passed the full Senate 22Y – 18N.
    • On the other hand, four House bills to expand Automated Speed Enforcement failed to advance from the House Transportation subcommittee where they were heard. The debate for this was particularly supportive, with a room full of crash victims and organizations imploring the expansion of this effective tool. It was a drawn-out and dramatic Friday afternoon hearing that ultimately was a heavy disappointment.
  • School Zone Expansion: Senator Bagby’s SB535 (Expanded School Zones) Reported from Senate Transportation with an amendment (8-Y 7-N) and was rereferred to Finance and Appropriations.
    • Two House versions of this bill failed in subcommittee.
  • Vulnerable Road User Protection: Senator Ebbin’s SB687 (Would update Virginia’s code to include definitions of driving in a careless or distracted manner in the Vulnerable Road User (VRU) statute. SB686 reported from Senate Transportation with a substitute (13-Y 2-N) and was rereferred to Courts of Justice.