The two-year legislative session wraps up at the end of March. Then legislators go back to their districts to campaign for reelection. In November, all 99 State Assembly seats and half of the 33 State Senate seats as well as the governor’s office will be up for grabs. As of this writing in February here is a brief update on the good, the bad, and the still to be decided issues related to cycling. More Money for Local Roads The biggest legislative victory of this session for us was an eight percent increase in funding for local road repair. This is money to fix the roads we ride on – the city streets, town roads and county highways that account for the overwhelming number of cycling miles. But while it was a good start, this kind of effort will need to be sustained for many years into the future just to catch up on the repair work that has been deferred. We still need a long-term funding solution to address our decaying infrastructure. The governor did open the door to a gas tax increase, but it’s not clear that anything can be put in place before the end of the session.
Silent Sports Victory An attempt to repeal a two decades old rule (NR 44) requiring separation of silent sports users from motor sports in our state parks, forests and other lands was turned back by the Natural Resources Board in January. It won’t end attempts by ATV riders to gain access to more bike trails, but it’s a step in the right direction.
Penalties Strengthened for Moving Violations This law change (AB-201), passed last fall, increases penalties for vehicle moving violations (like the infamous right and left hooks that are the bane of so many cyclists) when they result in serious injury or death. It also requires that drivers attend remedial classes even when their violation doesn’t result in an injury. We would prefer that nobody gets slapped with these increased penalties because the violations don’t happen in the first place, but when they
do occur this law will more nearly match the punishment with the violation. This bill isn’t as strong as the full-on “vulnerable users” bill we had been pushing in previous sessions, but we can still count it as progress.
Eminent Domain Author Identified The most disappointing action this session was a provision slipped into the state budget at the eleventh hour (literally – it happened one late evening near the end of the budget process) to prohibit local governments and the state Department of Transportation from using eminent domain (sometimes described as condemnation) for bike paths, bike lanes and even sidewalks. To make matters worse the provision’s author was unidentified at the time. Since then Rep. Rob Stafsholt (R-New Richmond) has come forward as the sponsor of that amendment. While he initially indicated that he would be willing to work on legislation to soften his language, he has not signed off on a specific proposal. We will work to reverse this law in the next session.
Modernizing E-Bike Laws In coordination with the bicycle industry we’re working to update Wisconsin’s laws regarding electric bikes to bring them into line with current technology and national standards. This bipartisan legislation would mirror laws passed in at least five other states. It sets up categories of e-bikes and regulates how and where they may be used.
Drunk-Driving Laws Toughened When impaired drivers take to the road it’s people who bike and walk who are the most vulnerable because they lack the protections of tons of glass and steal. So, the Bike Fed has been supportive of efforts to strengthen Wisconsin’s notoriously weak drunk driving laws. We have been pleased to have the chance to support bills increasing the instances in which breathalyzer interlock devices must be used and which increase the minimum prison time for those who kill others as a result of driving drunk. The interlock bill (AB-98) was signed into law late last year. We hope that the minimum sentence bill (AB-97) will pass before the end of the session. WisconsinBikeFed.org 55