Today's Law As Amended


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AB-2259 Transportation: bicycle safety handbook.(2023-2024)



As Amends the Law Today


SECTION 1.
 The Legislature finds and declares all the following:
(a) Bicyclists are entitled to the full use of the state’s streets and highways, unless otherwise prohibited, including safe use and passage on the roadway.
(b) Bicycles are an integral part of the state’s transportation system. The League of American Bicyclists released its 2022 Bicycle Friendly States report, ranking all 50 states on both their policies and practices to make bicycling safer and the outcomes in safety and ridership as a result of those efforts. California took 4th place in this annual ranking.
(c) It is in the best interests of California to encourage bicycle transportation because of the resulting reduction in traffic congestion, carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, and motor vehicle noise and pollution. According to the internet website www.CoolCalifornia.org, choosing to walk or bike, even for only a few trips, can reduce the carbon footprint of an average household by up to 1,000 pounds of CO2 emissions annually.
(d) Efforts to improve safety and convenience for bicyclists are a proper use of transportation funds. In December 2022, the California Transportation Commission (CTC) approved $1,000,000,000 in funding for 93 new walking and biking projects in disadvantaged communities as part of the 2023 Active Transportation Program. The CTC also allocated more than $878,000,000 for projects to repair and improve transportation infrastructure throughout the state.
(e) Bicyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as motorists and are subject to the same rules and regulations. Thus, it is crucial that bicyclists pay attention to traffic signs and signals and follow all rules to reduce the risk of collisions while on the road.
(f) According to the California Department of Transportation’s Toward an Active California State Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan, education for adult bicyclists and pedestrians is less widely available than for youth and most widely distributed materials emphasize bicycling with confidence in high-traffic situations.

SEC. 2.

 Section 13978.5 is added to the Government Code, to read:

13978.5.
 (a) Upon appropriation by the Legislature, the agency shall develop and distribute a state handbook on bicycling safety on or before September 1, 2025.
(b) The handbook shall incorporate evidence-based practices and emerging trends for bicycle and e-bike safety. The handbook shall contain, but not be limited to, information on all of the following topics:
(1) Existing laws regulating bicycles and e-bikes.
(2) Safety equipment requirements and recommendations.
(3) Ensuring a bicycle is in good condition before every ride.
(4) Strategies for lawfully and safely bicycling in various situations, including roads, bikeways, and trails.
(5) Bicycling after dark.
(6) Crash avoidance skills.
(7) Distracted and impaired riding.
(8) What to do when a bicycle crash occurs.
(9) Obeying traffic signs and signals.
(10) Reporting road concerns.
(11) How to teach children about bicycle safety.
(12) E-bike types and handling characteristics.
(13) Recommendations for sharing roads and bikeways with motorists, pedestrians, and other bicyclists.
(c) In developing the handbook, the agency shall collaborate and consult with stakeholders from all of the following entities:
(1) The Department of Motor Vehicles.
(2) The Department of the California Highway Patrol.
(3) The California Office of Traffic Safety.
(4) The Department of Transportation.
(5) Representatives from various bicycling advocacy organizations.
(6) A representative from a statewide motorist service membership organization.
(7) Other relevant stakeholders the department deems necessary.
(d) The agency shall post a downloadable electronic version of the bicycle safety handbook on the internet websites of the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Department of the California Highway Patrol, the California State Library, and any other state department or agency that the agency deems appropriate.