Your support needed now for Missouri Bike/Ped Safety Bill

This year the Missouri Bicycle Federation has been working with Missouri legislators and bicycle and pedestrian groups around the state to create legislation that will improve the environment for walking and bicycling in Missouri.

The bill is making reasonably good progress in the Senate (SB381). In the House, the bill (HB684) has had a hearing where several technical problems came to light. Language to correct those problems has been suggested and now the bill could move forward, but so far it has not.

This is where your support could make an important difference. The key people to contact in the House are Robin Wright Jones, sponsor of the legislation (be sure to thank Ms. Jones for her sponsorship, if you write!), Larry Crawford, co-sponsor and chair of the Transportation Committee, and other members of the Transportation Committee. On the web:

Jones: http://www.house.state.mo.us/bills03/member/mem063.htm
Crawford: http://www.house.state.mo.us/bills03/member/mem117.htm
Other committee members: http://www.house.state.mo.us/bills03/commit/com179.htm

Jones and Crawford are supporters of the bill, but with the press of other legislation it is hard for them to keep it moving forward without a little support from constituents.

What we need in this case is a lot of "Thank yous" for sponsoring/co-sponsoring the legislation and some gentle support and encouragement for them to put the bill on a higher priority level.

Above all, when you write your legislator, please, Please, PLEASE be polite and persuasive. We have found through hard experience that angry, confrontational letters and phone calls are very counterproductive in Missouri.

State your case in a concise, logical way and you'll likely make a friend--both for this bill and for any future bicycle-related matters.

Find contact info for all Missouri legislators here.

Read more details about the bill and reasons for the bill's provisions here.