MoBikeFed draft legislative platform for 2007

This platform was developed and proposed by the Missouri Bicycle Federation board of directors. It is now offered for comment to MoBikeFed members and the general public.

Note that this is MOBikeFed's legislative platform--meaning the proposals we will promote or support in the Missouri General Assembly.

There are many other policies, programs, and ideas MoBikeFed pursues at the local, state, and national levels.

Please send any suggested additions, revisions, or deletions to director at mobikefed.org

Resolutions/Proclamations for 2007

• Bike Month Proclamation (May)
  
• Walk and Bike to School Day/Week/Month Proclamation (October)
  
• A legislative resolution in support of the completing the Katy Trail by connecting it to nearby communities across Missouri, including Kansas City, St. Louis, Washington, Hermann, Jefferson City, Springfield, and others

Top 2007 Legislative Priorities

• When unsafe drivers injure or kill bicyclists or pedestrians, current law allows prosecutors to bring charges for trivial traffic infractions or serious (but difficult-to-prove) felony charges. We want to propose an intermediate step that will get unsafe drivers off the road, be easier to prosecute, and have more severe and appropriate penalties than minor traffic infractions.
  
• School zone speed limit bill
  • Define school zone.
    
  • Create a standard of 20 mph limit in school zones.
    
  • Encourage creation of standardized signage, markings, etc.
    
  • Double fines in school zone
• A proposed "no passing" law will force motorists to pass bicyclists unsafely (or just not pass at all--and how likely is it that drivers will do that?) whenever there is a solid yellow "no passing" line. Before this legislation moves forward we want to change this to make it more bicycle friendly. There are many locations properly marked "no passing" for motor vehicles where it is safe to pass a slower-moving vehicle like a bicycle. The new Missouri passing zone law can and should reflect this reality and should not force or encourage unsafe passing of bicyclists by motorists.
  
• Measures to encourage recreational trails/mountain biking trails in state parks and conservation areas (as proposed by Rep. Sutherland in 2006)
  
• Obtain reliable funding for statewide bicycle and pedestrian programs, promotion of safe practices, and outreach.

Note: These are only the proposed action items for 2007. See the complete and much more detailed platform here (PDF format).

Previous MoBikeFed Legislative Platform Planks that have become law or policy

• Allow right turn signaling with the right arm; allow intermittent signalling when arms/hands are needed to control bicycle
  
• Regulate bike lane usage
  
• Clarify that bicyclists riding on the road shoulder is not illegal
  
• Update the definition of a bicycle to include tricycles and quadracycles
  
• Safe passing provision for motorists passing bicyclists
  
• Clutch's Law-increased penalties & driver license points for those who fail to yield right-of-way and cause an accident
  
• Legislation to address liability concerns of landowners adjacent to trails
  
• Remove law that required bicyclists to ride on path adjacent to road if such a path is available
  
• Improve Missouri's basic bicycle law

2006 Proclamations

• Bike Month (May) - Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder
  
• Walk to School Month (October) - Governor Matt Blunt