Today is day 39 of the legislative session and here are the numbers: S-119/12/6/1 and H-286/34/19/4. For those of you paying attention, you’ll notice 4 numbers instead of the usual 3. The fourth number is the number of bills assigned to S-T&E and H-THL or transportation concerned bills assigned to different committees which have been PI (postponed indefinitely – killed).

Rep. Bradley’s bill, HB26-1079 (Concerning a requirement that a minor have written permission to obtain an instruction permit to drive a motorcycle) is still scheduled for a H-THL Committee hearing on Tuesday, 2/24 upon adjournment in room LSB-A.

Her other bill, HB26-1125 (Concerning the assessment of penalties against a parent when a minor violates laws concerning the usage of certain electric vehicles, and, in connection therewith, authorizing the assessment of penalties against a parent for a minor's improper usage of an electrical assisted bicycle, electric motorcycle, electric scooter, or electric skateboard) is going to be pulled. I talked with her on Tuesday and she said she was going to pull the bill because of lack of support. She might try it again next year.

I’ll mention a few other bills that might not be a direct concern to motorcyclists but are transportation related.

SB26-035 (Concerning an increase of traffic violation penalties) can be read at https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/SB26-035. It only has one Senate sponsor and no House sponsors yet and is scheduled for a S-T&E committee hearing on Wednesday, 2/25 at 1:30 in room 352. The bill increases the penalties for illegally overtaking a vehicle on the left in a no-passing zone and increases the penalties for multiple speeding violations within a one-year, 2-year, or 5-year period.

SB26-003 (Concerning expanding the scope of the "Battery Stewardship Act" to cover the end-of-life management of electric vehicle batteries) can be read at https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/SB26-003. The bill expands the scope of the "Battery Stewardship Act" to cover the end-of-life management of propulsion batteries, which are batteries that are primarily used to supply power to an electric or hybrid vehicle, and establishes requirements concerning propulsion batteries that differ from the requirements for the batteries currently contemplated by the "Battery Stewardship Act". It currently has two Senate sponsors and two House sponsors. It is scheduled for a S-T&E Committee hearing on Wednesday, 2/25 also.

SB26-073 (Concerning increasing criminal penalties related to assaultive conduct with a motor vehicle, and, in connection therewith, adding the conduct of causing the death of another person with a motor vehicle to the crime of criminally negligent homicide) can be read at https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/SB26-072. The bill has 2 Senate sponsors and no House sponsors. It was assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee but hasn’t been scheduled yet.

Lastly, I don’t know if this bill should be considered a “questionable” bill or a “Do we really need this bill”, but it is listed on the legislative website as one of the “Most Accessed Bills”. It’s SB26-097 (Concerning decriminalizing commercial sexual activity among consenting adults). It does have two Senate sponsors and two House sponsors and that’s all I’m saying about that!