H-4266              _______________________________________________

                                           SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL NO. 771

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              49th Legislature                              1986 Regular Session

By House Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Representatives Valle, Patrick, Rust, Hankins, Unsoeld, Haugen, K. Wilson, Fisch and Jacobsen)

Read first time 2/4/85 and passed to Committee on Rules.

AN ACT Relating to bicycle programs; adding new sections to chapter 43.59 RCW; and making an appropriation.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 43.59 RCW to read as follows:

          Bicycling is increasing in our state.  What used to be simply a children's activity is now a common form of transportation and recreation for children, adults and families.  Increased bicycling has many benefits:  It is healthy, nonpolluting, energy efficient, and does not cause wear to the road system.  Bicycling is an enjoyable activity that people with a wide range of physical abilities can share.  The creation of the state bicycle program specified in section 2 of this act is essential to further the benefits of bicycling to the residents of the state.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 43.59 RCW to read as follows:

          (1) The Washington state traffic safety commission shall be responsible for the initiation and operation of a bicycle program.

          (2) To assist the commission in the operation of the bicycle program, a full-time staff position of state bicycle coordinator is established.  The coordinator shall be appointed by the commission and paid a salary to be fixed by the governor in accordance with the provisions of RCW 43.03.040.

          (3) The state bicycle coordinator shall coordinate bicycle safety related programs and bicycle tourism programs in all state agencies, encourage the use of bicycling for transportation, assist the department of transportation, and the cites and counties of the state in prioritizing, programming, and developing bicycle-related projects.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  A new section is added to chapter 43.59 RCW to read as follows:

          The state bicycle coordinator shall have the power and it shall be the coordinator's duty:

          (1) To gather bicycle program information and resources;

          (2) To plan bicycle programs;

          (3) To work with other state agencies to develop bicycle programs;

          (4) To provide assistance in revising and updating superintendent of public instruction and state patrol bicycle material; and

          (5) To develop a grant program to distribute funds to local agencies in areas with high bicycle accident rates to create bicycle programs.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.     There is appropriated from the motor vehicle fund to the Washington state traffic safety commission for the biennium ending June 30, 1987, the sum of seventy thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, to carry out the purposes of this act.