This Week in Your Tennessee General Assembly

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Carey Rogers

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Feb 6, 2016, 3:56:58 PM2/6/16

to Walking and Biking Nashville Group, east-nashvil...@googlegroups.com, East Nashville Cycle Group, nashville-bicycl...@googlegroups.com, TNBikeA...@googlegroups.com

There are two bills that impact cycling in the General Assembly that will be heard in the House Transportation Sub-Committee this week.

HB 1650 (Carter) SB 1716 (Gardenhire)

This bill restricts the use of state gasoline tax revenues distributed to the highway fund, counties, and cities to the construction, improvement, and maintenance of highways and bridges and prohibits the use for pedestrian, bicycle, and other non-vehicular facilities.

SB 1697 (Massey) HB 1487 (Clemmons)

This bill allows vehicular use of bicycle lanes only when legally parking the vehicle or turning into a road. The bill refers to existing statutes regulating on street parking and those statutes allow taxis in bike lanes.

There is a proposed amendment that specifically allows taxis and delivery vehicles to block bike lanes “temporarily” . Parking in bike lanes is not allowed in Nashville by Metro ordinance but this bill would preempt that ordinance.

None of the members of the sub-committee are from middle Tennessee except the Chair Terri Lynn Weaver representing Sumner County.

If you are opposed to these bills contact your own legislator, members of the sub-committee or the sponsors.