SENATE DOCKET, NO. 60        FILED ON: 1/13/2015

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1816

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Cynthia S. Creem

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to the creation of a vulnerable road user safety commission.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 60        FILED ON: 1/13/2015

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1816

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 1649 OF 2013-2014.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Eighty-Ninth General Court
(2015-2016)

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An Act relative to the creation of a vulnerable road user safety commission.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Notwithstanding the provisions of any general or special law to the contrary, there is hereby established a Vulnerable Road User Safety Commission to investigate and report on the frequency of injury to and accidents involving vulnerable road users, and methods to enhance multiple modes of transportation, including bicycling and walking.  Vulnerable road users shall include, but not be limited to, pedestrians and bicyclists.  Said commission’s report shall include, but not be limited to, data on the frequency of accidents involving vulnerable road users, the nature of such accidents, the involved parties, road conditions, and methods to increase road safety, including but not limited to colored bike paths, wider bike lanes, increased use of traffic lights, and practices used in other cities to increase vulnerable road user safety .  The commission shall develop strategic and legislative recommendations to reduce the incidence of accidents and educational materials and strategies to inform the public on best safety practices for sharing the road.

The commission shall be comprised of the House and Senate Chairs of the Joint Committee on Transportation, who shall serve as co-chairs of the commission; the Commissioner of the Department of Public Health or his designee; the Commissioner of Transportation or his designee; The Commissioner of Public Safety,  and one representative from each of the following organizations: the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board, WalkBoston, the Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition, the Massachusetts Municipal Association, the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association, and the Massachusetts State Police.

Said commission shall file a report of its study, including its recommendations and drafts of legislation with the clerks of the Senate and House of Representatives on or before December 31, 2015.