Vulnerable User Bill Again Before the 2014 Legislature

Read the fact sheet

Dust off your messages to legislators from last year encouraging them to pass the Vulnerable User bill. As you might remember, last year the bill passed the Senate but was never brought to a vote in the House, so the bill was not adopted.  

The Vulnerable User bill is back again in 2014, now that the Transportation Committee of the legislature has raised it as SB 336.  This will be the fifth year that the bill has come before the legislature.  

What is it?  Similar to the compromise language passed by the committee last year, this year's bill:

• Provides for a fine of up to $1,000 for injuring or killing a vulnerable user due to careless driving; and 
  
• Defines a vulnerable user as a pedestrian; cyclist; animal rider or driver; highway worker; farm tractor driver; user of a skateboard, roller or inline skates; user of a wheelchair or motorized chair; or blind person and his or her service animal.

Why do we need it?

• Careless drivers injure hundreds of people every year in Connecticut--130 pedestrians and cyclists were killed between 2010 and 2012 and approximately 1,400 pedestrians and cyclists are injured every year.
• Unless there is evidence of drug or alcohol use or a hit and run, careless drivers are rarely held accountable for their devastating, preventable, actions. Driving that injures or kills is often penalized with little more than a fine. The  vulnerable user law recognizes that “vulnerable road users,” such as pedestrians, bicyclists, first responders, and highway workers need additional legal protections. The bill provides enhanced penalties for careless driving resulting in injury or death of a vulnerable road user.
  
• The League of American Bicyclists' top recommendation for Connecticut in its Bike Friendly State Report Card calls for Connecticut to "Adopt a vulnerable road user law that increases penalties for a motorist that injures or kills a bicyclist or pedestrian."  (CT's Bike Friendly State ranking was only 18 in 2013.) 

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What happens next?  
The Transportation Committee will hold a public hearing on SB336 on Wednesday, March 5 at 10:30 am at the Legislative Office Building, Room 2E in Hartford. 

What can YOU do?

1. Speak at the public hearing on Wed., March 5. This is a critical opportunity to show support for the bill.  If you can have written testimony (whether or not you are speaking), you should submit 45 copies to the committee in Room 2300 before 10 am. This ensures that all committee members get your testimony.
   
2. Email your comments asking for the bill to be voted out of committee and passed by the full legislature.  Send your comments to the Transportation Committee clerk, Nick Neeley, at Nick.Neeley@cga.ct.gov, and please copy us at Bikewalkct@bikewalkct.org so we know how many of our community members are weighing in.
   
3. Check below to see if your state senator or representative is a member of the Transportation Committee.  If so, email them directly asking them to support the VU bill and make it clear that you are a constituent. 

Transportation Committee Members (alpha by last name)
Rep. David Alexander Dist. 58, Enfield: David.Alexander@cga.ct.gov, 860-240-8585
Rep. Whit Betts Dist. 78, Bristol: whit.betts@housegop.ct.gov, 860-240-8700
Sen. Toni Boucher Dist. 26, Wilton: Toni.Boucher@cga.ct.gov, 860-240-8800
Sen. Steve Cassano Dist. 4, Manchester: web form, 860-240-8600
Rep. Gerald Fox Dist. 146, Stamford: Gerald.Fox@cga.ct.gov, 860-240-0530
Sen. L. Scott Frantz Dist. 36, Riverside: Scott.Frantz@cga.ct.gov, 860-240-8800
Rep. Janice Giegler Dist. 138, Danbury: Janice.Giegler@housegop.ct.gov, 860-240-8700
Rep. Antonio Guerrera Dist. 29, Rocky Hill: Tony.Guerrera@cga.ct.gov, 860-240-8585
Sen. Joan Hartley Dist. 15, Waterbury: Hartley@senatedems.ct.gov, 860-240-0006
Rep. DebraLee Hovey Dist. 112, Monroe: DebraLee.Hovey@housegop.ct.gov, 860-240-8700
Rep. Claire Janowski Dist. 56, Hartford: Claire.Janowski@cga.ct.gov, 860-240-0452
Rep. Ed Jutila Dist. 37, Niantic: Ed.Jutila@cga.ct.gov, 860-240-8585
Rep. David Labriola Dist. 131, Oxford: David.Labriola@housegop.ct.gov, 860-240-8700
Rep. Timothy Larson Dist. 11, East Hartford: Timothy.Larson@cga.ct.gov, 860-240-8585
Rep. Roland Lemar Dist. 96, New Haven: roland.lemar@cga.ct.gov, 860-240-8585
Sen. Carlo Leone Dist. 27, Stamford: web form, 860-240-8600
Rep. Rick Lopes Dist. 24, New Britain: Rick.Lopes@cga.ct.gov, 860-240-8500
Sen. Andrew Maynard Dist. 18, Stonington: web form, 860-240-0591
Sen. Michael McLachlan Dist. 24, Danbury: Michael.McLachlan@cga.ct.gov, 860-240-0068
Rep. Steven Mikutel Dist. 45, Griswold: Steve.Mikutel@cga.ct.gov, 860-240-8585
Rep. Michael Molgano Dist. 144, Stamford: michael.molgano@housegop.ct.gov, 860-240-8700
Rep. Russell Morin Dist. 28, Wethersfield: Russell.Morin@cga.ct.gov, 860-240-8500
Rep. Tom O'Dea Dist. 125, New Canaan: Tom.ODea@housegop.ct.gov, 860-240-8700
Rep. Jason Perillo Dist. 113, Shelton: jason.perillo@housegop.ct.gov, 800-842-1423
Rep. Ezequiel Santiago Dist. 130, Bridgeport: Ezequiel.Santiago@cga.ct.gov, 860-240-8585
Rep. Pamela Sawyer Dist. 55, Bolton: Pamela.Sawyer@housegop.ct.gov, 860-240-8700
Rep. Peggy Sayers Dist. 60, Windsor Locks: Peggy.Sayers@cga.ct.gov, 860-240-8585
Rep. David Scribner Dist. 107, Brookfield: David.Scribner@housegop.ct.gov, 860-240-8700
Rep. Joseph Serra Dist. 33, Middletown: Joseph.Serra@cga.ct.gov, 860-240-8585
Rep. Bill Simanski Dist. 62, Granby: bill.simanski@housegop.ct.gov, 860-240-8700
Rep. Jonathan Steinberg Dist. 136, Westport: Jonathan.Steinberg@cga.ct.gov, 860-240-8588
Sen. Andrea Stillman Dist. 20, Waterford: web form, 860-240-0425
Rep. Joe Verrengia Dist. 20, West Hartford: Joe.Verrengia@cga.ct.gov, 860-240-8585