Last Tuesday HB 1030 got assigned to a Transportation Committee Sub-Committee so that 4 or 5 of them could take a good hard patient look at the problem and decide some language that suits them. My friend Chris Parsley sat in and participated on one - and perhaps the only one - meeting. If no further action is taken on the bill by the sub-committee there should be some pretty nice language regarding the passing of a bicyclist presented to the whole committee. Rep Fred Deutsch seemed to have the an accurate inside track on the language.
But these things don't happen in a vacuum. Maybe by the next time this bill is discussed in the Transportation Committee proper, it will have changed dramatically. One never knows.
When will this bill be discussed in the Transportation Committee? Rep Vericho is the chair. The chair sets the agenda. Ask the chair. As of now it is not on the agenda for the 2/3 meeting. I suppose a motion to consider the bill could come on 2/3. So I'll be listening via SDPR in case it does.
On the agenda for 2/3 is HB 1131 - "revise certain taxes and fees to fund improvements to public roads and bridges in South Dakota." This is a hugely important bill for the funding of our infrastructure.
In the context of HB 1030 It's consideration sends a chill down my spine. For all the times I heard the chair joke, then half joke, then no joke suggest taxing riders and bicycles HB1131 is the bill that could make that happen. So I'll be listening on 2/3 anyway.
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