The Honorable ________________________
[Address]
[Date]
Dear [Representative/Senator] _____________________,
As a citizen of your district, I urge you to support HB 6299 and 6300 [SB 1492 and 1493 if you are wtiting your Senator], which enhance penalties for moving violations causing physical injury or death to bicyclists and other vulnerable roadway users. These bills will make the penalties for injuring or killing a bicyclist the same as those enacted in 2001 for drivers who injure or kill people operating (typically slow-moving) farm vehicles.
Rising energy prices and concerns about health, fitness and the environment have put more people on bicycles and more bikes on the road. They must no longer be treated as eccentrics, annoyances to drivers, or second-class citizens. They are our brothers and sisters, our parents and our children. More and more, people will need to use bikes to get from home to school and work. They are entitled to safe use of Michigan roads. They too deserve a “brake.”
A driver convicted of seriously injuring or killing a bicyclist can serve as little as days or months. Too many motorists consider cyclists “fair game” for intimidation, harassment, endangerment and outright vehicular assault. This bill will give judges and prosecutors more tools for controlling aggressive or reckless drivers. Specific penalties for injuring or killing a bicyclist will deter drivers from endangering bicyclists and other vulnerable roadway users.
Thank you for seriously considering this issue. Please tell me that you will support HB 6299 and 6300 [SB 1492 and 1493 if you are wtiting your Senator] to save lives. I look forward to your reply.
Sincerely,
[Your Name,
Your Address,
Your Telephone #]
> Find your Legislator and their address
Current House Sponsors and Co-sponsors of HB 6299 and 6300:
Andy Coulouris (primary HB 6300)
David Palsrok (primary HB 6299)
George Cushingberry, Jr. (D-Detroit)
Marie Donigan (D-Royal Oak)
Bill Huizenga (R-Zeeland)
Joe Hune (R-Hamburg)
Robert Jones (D-Kalamazoo)
Richard LeBlanc (D-Westland)
Gabe Leland (D-Detroit)
Mark Meadows (D-E. Lansing)
Andy Meisner (D-Ferndale)
Fred Miller (D-Mount Clemens)
Rebekah Warren (D-Ann Arbor)
HB 6300 & 6299 have been referred to the House Transportation Committee. Constituent letters to Committee members are especially important right now.
House Transportation Committee Members:
Hoon-Yung Hopgood, Committee Chair, (D-Westlake, Taylor)
Martin J. Griffin (D), Majority Vice-Chair, 64th District
Frank Accavitti Jr. (D-South Park, Eastpointe)
Steve Bieda (D-Warren)
Marie Donigan (D-Royal Oak) *
Kate Ebli (D-Monroe)
Gabe Leland (D-Detroit) *
Jeff Mayes (D-Bay City)
Fred Miller (D-Mount Clemens) *
Coleman A. Young II (D-Detroit)
Philip LaJoy, Minority Vice-Chair (R-Canton)
Tom Casperson (R-Escanaba)
Neal Nitz (R-Baroda)
Phil Pavlov (R-St Clair Township)
Tom Pearce (R-Rockford)
John Stahl (R-North Branch)
Marty Knollenberg (R-Troy)
* Committee members already co-sponsoring HB 6300 & 6299
Current Senate Sponsors and Co-sponsors of SB 1492 and 1493:
> Find your Legislator and their address
Bill Excerpts:
(1) A “VULNERABLE ROADWAY USER” IS DEFINED AS A PEDESTRIAN OR A PERSON OPERATING A NONMOTORIZED TRANSPORTATION DEVICE (INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO A BICYCLE).
(2) A PERSON WHO COMMITS A MOVING VIOLATION AND AS A RESULT CAUSES INJURY TO A VULNERABLE ROADWAY USER ON A HIGHWAY WHO IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THIS ACT IS GUILTY OF A MISDEMEANOR PUNISHABLE BY IMPRISONMENT FOR NOT MORE THAN 1 YEAR OR A FINE OF NOT MORE THAN $1,000.00, OR BOTH.
(3) A PERSON WHO COMMITS A MOVING VIOLATION AND AS A RESULT CAUSES DEATH TO A VULNERABLE ROADWAY USER ON A HIGHWAY WHO IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THIS ACT IS GUILTY OF A FELONY PUNISHABLE BY IMPRISONMENT FOR NOT MORE THAN 15 YEARS OR A FINE OF NOT MORE THAN $7,500.00, OR BOTH.
> Download Complete Bills in PDF (HB 6299) (HB 6300) (SB 1492) (SB 1493)
Note: The House Bills (HB) and Senate Bills (SB) are identical.
