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2020 SESSION

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Senate Committee on Transportation

Chair: David W. Marsden

Clerk: Eric Bingham, Alec Fischbein
Staff: Lisa Wallmeyer
Date of Meeting: February 13, 2020
Time and Place: 15 minutes after adjournment, Senate Room 3, Capitol

H.B. 157 Drivers of vehicles approaching stationary vehicles displaying certain warning lights; duties, etc.

Patron: Fowler

Duties of drivers of vehicles approaching stationary vehicles displaying certain warning lights; penalty. Makes a driver's failure to (i) move into a nonadjacent lane on a highway with at least four lanes when approaching a stationary towing vehicle or incident or traffic management vehicle displaying flashing, blinking, or alternating amber lights or (ii) proceed with due caution and maintain a safe speed when passing such a vehicle reckless driving, which is punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor. Under current law, such offense is a traffic infraction punishable by a fine of not more than $250, and a failure to so move or proceed with due caution when approaching other such listed vehicles is reckless driving.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 46.2-861.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to duties of drivers of vehicles approaching stationary vehicles displaying certain warning lights; penalty.

20101726D

H.B. 211 License plates, special; issuance to persons awarded the United States Air Medal, etc.

Patron: Hurst

Special license plate; Air Medal. Creates a special license plate for persons awarded the Air Medal or for unremarried surviving spouses of such persons.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 46.2-745.3, relating to special license plate; Air Medal.

20102690D

H.B. 543 Electric power-assisted bicycles; amends definition.

Patron: Carr

Electric power-assisted bicycles. Amends the definition of "electric power-assisted bicycle" to include three classes of such bicycles, based upon the type of motor and the maximum miles per hour that the motor is capable of propelling the bicycle. The bill also provides that electric power-assisted bicycles and operators are afforded the same rights and privileges as bicycles and operators and limits local and state regulation of the operation of such electric power-assisted bicycles to certain bicycle paths, shared-use paths, and trails. The bill requires manufacturers and distributors of electric power-assisted bicycles to include (i) on each electric power-assisted bicycle, a label indicating certain technical specifications and (ii) on each class three electric power-assisted bicycle, a miles-per-hour speedometer. The bill requires persons operating or riding on a class three electric power-assisted bicycle to wear a helmet.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 46.2-100 and 46.2-908.1 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 46.2-904.1, relating to electric power-assisted bicycles.

20102771D

H.B. 593 License plates, special; #TEAMTOMMIE.

Patron: Bourne

Special license plates; #TEAMTOMMIE. Authorizes the issuance of revenue-sharing special license plates for supporters of the Richmond Animal Care and Control Foundation bearing the legend #TEAMTOMMIE.

A BILL to authorize the issuance of special license plates for supporters of the Richmond Animal Care and Control Foundation bearing the legend #TEAMTOMMIE; fees.

20100743D

H.B. 595 Dealer's license plate and special license plate combination; Commissioner of DMV may issue.

Patron: Bourne

Dealer's license plate and special license plate combination. Authorizes the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue, upon request of a licensed dealer, a license plate that is a combination of a special license plate and a dealer's license plate.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 46.2-1549.2, relating to dealer's license plate and special license plate combination.

20101918D

H.B. 874 Handheld personal communications devices; holding devices while driving a motor vehicle.

Patron: Bourne

Holding handheld personal communications devices while driving a motor vehicle. Prohibits any person from holding a handheld personal communications device while driving a motor vehicle. Current law prohibits (i) the reading of any email or text message and manually entering letters or text in such a device as a means of communicating and (ii) holding a personal communications device while driving in a work zone. The bill expands the exemptions to include handheld personal communications devices that are being held and used (a) as an amateur radio or a citizens band radio or (b) for official Department of Transportation or traffic incident management services. This bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2021. This bill incorporates HB 377, HB 387, HB 512, and HB 1672.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 46.2-1078.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to holding handheld personal communications devices while driving a motor vehicle.

20106899D

H.B. 983 Traffic incident management vehicles; equipped with certain lights.

Patron: Delaney

Traffic incident management vehicles. Authorizes traffic incident management vehicles, defined in the bill, operated by persons who meet certain training requirements to be equipped with flashing red or red and white secondary warning lights and to be exempt from certain traffic regulations at or en route to the scene of a traffic accident or similar incident. This bill incorporates HB 635.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 46.2-1023, 46.2-1029.2, and 46.2-1030 of the Code of Virginia, relating to traffic incident management vehicles.

20106896D

H.B. 1442 Photo speed monitoring devices; civil penalty.

Patron: Jones

Handheld photo speed monitoring devices; civil penalty. Authorizes law-enforcement agencies and localities to operate handheld photo speed monitoring devices, defined in the bill, in or around school crossing zones and highway work zones for the purpose of recording images of vehicles that are traveling at speeds of at least 10 miles per hour above the posted school crossing zone or highway work zone speed limit within such school crossing zone or highway work zone when such highway work zone is indicated by conspicuously placed signs displaying the maximum speed limit and that such handheld photo speed monitoring devices are used in the area. The bill provides that the operator of a vehicle shall be liable for a monetary civil penalty, not to exceed $125, if such vehicle is found to be traveling at speeds of at least 10 miles per hour above the posted highway work zone or school crossing zone speed limit by the handheld photo speed monitoring device. The bill provides that if the summons for a violation is issued by mail, the violation shall not be reported on the driver's operating record or to the driver's insurance agency, but if the violation is personally issued by an officer at the time of the violation, such violation shall be part of the driver's record and used for insurance purposes. The bill provides that the civil penalty will be paid to the locality in which the violation occurred if the summons is issued by a local law-enforcement officer and paid to the Department of State Police if the summons is issued by a law-enforcement officer employed by the Department of State Police. This bill incorporates HB 621 and HB1721

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 46.2-208 and 46.2-882 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 46.2-882.1, relating to photo speed monitoring devices; civil penalty.

20107126D

H.B. 1511 Towing fees; raises to $30 additional fee that can be charged for towing a vehicle at night, etc.

Patron: McQuinn

Towing fees. The bill raises from $25 to $30 the additional fee that can be charged for towing a vehicle at night, on weekends, or on a holiday. The bill requires localities in Planning District 8 and Planning District 16 to set such additional fee at between $25 and $30. Current law requires such localities to set such additional fee at $25.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 46.2-1233 and 46.2-1233.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to towing fees.

20104626D