During the 2017 Colorado legislative session, Bicycle Colorado organized support and testified for several legislative issues. Along with a broad coalition of partners, we backed bills to reduce distracted driving, penalize harassment of people who bike or walk, improve access to riding and hold people accountable for causing a hit-and-run.

Thank you to everyone who helped send nearly 2,000 messages to elected officials this year in support of legislation to improve conditions for Colorado bicyclists! We also wish to thank all of the bill sponsors, legislators, coalition members and the Governor.

These are good steps forward but there is more to be done to improve safety and access for biking and walking. Your donations and personal outreach helped us get behind the issues below. When we speak with a united voice, elected officials and state leaders are more likely to listen. Together, we can make a difference and continue to make this the #1 state for people biking and walking.

Hit and Run
HB17- 1277, Bill sponsors: Rep. Diane Mitsch Bush and Sen. Beth Martinez Humenik
Immediately suspends the license of a driver who is arrested for a hit-and-run crash involving serious bodily injury or death, getting potentially dangerous drivers off the road sooner.
Status: passed, awaiting the governor’s signature

Prohibit Rolling Coal
SB17-278, Bill sponsor: Sen. Don Coram
Helps to stop the practice of rolling coal (purposefully blasting road users with diesel smoke) by making the illegal activity easier for police to ticket and increasing the fine to $100.
Status: passed, awaiting the governor’s signature

Distracted Driving
SB17-027, Bill sponsors: Sen. Lois Court and Rep. Jovan Melton
Increases the penalty for texting while driving to a $500 fine and five points for a first offense and a $750 fine and six points for a second or subsequent offense.
Status: passed, awaiting the governor’s signature

Electric-assist Bicycle Regulations
HB17-1151, Bill sponsors: Rep. Chris Hansen, Rep. Yeulin Willett, Sen. Owen Hill, Sen. Andy Kerr
Defines the state’s ebike classification system to improve safety and enforcement and aligns Colorado’s definitions with the national standards.
Status: passed, signed by the governor

Designate the Tour of the Moon Byway
HJR17-1018, Bill sponsors: Rep. Yeulin Willett and Ray Scott
Designates the Monument Loop in Grand Junction as “Tour of the Moon Byway” in honor of the Tour of the Moon annual bicycling event. The designation will help further promote bicycling in the area and is a significant achievement for an organized annual bike ride.
Status: passed, awaiting the governor’s signature

Legalize the “Safety Stop”
SB17-93, Bill sponsor: Sen. Andy Kerr
Proposal to allow people on bicycles to treat stop signs as yield and red lights as stop signs only if the coast is clear.
Status: failed in the Senate Transportation Committee

Transportation infrastructure funding revenue
HB17-1242, Bill sponsors: Rep. Crisanta Duran, Rep. Diane Mitsch Bush, Sen. Randy Baumgartner, Sen. Kevin Grantham
Support a state transportation funding measure that includes dedicated bicycle and walking funding.
Status: failed in the Senate Finance Committee

Bicycle Colorado continues to work on relevant issues with our strong, diverse coalition of partners. For example, even though the legislature was unable to pass a forward-thinking transportation bill to be voted on by Coloradans, our state still needs an improved mobility system with additional funding devoted to bicycling and walking projects. That is just one of the many things we will continue to advocate for on behalf of people who bike and walk.

Thank you again for your support, and don’t forget to become one of the thousands of members who enable our valuable legislative work!