ACTION ALERT: Urge the Assembly Transportation Committee to approve SB 1464

Our colleagues at the California Bicycle Coalition need your help to push a cyclist safety bill through its next committee hearing.

Last month the California Senate approved Senate Bill 1464, the 3-foot passing bill authored by State Senator Alan Lowenthal and sponsored by the California Bicycle Coalition and the City of Los Angeles, after more than 2,200 bicyclists sent emails urging them to vote YES. Now SB 1464 is headed to its first hearing before the Assembly Transportation Committee on Monday, June 25.

Next week the Assembly Transportation Committee staff will count all the emails, letters and phone calls received as of Monday, June 19, and include that number in its analysis of the bill for committee members. Each message the committee receives helps show that SB 1464 continues to have substantial support statewide. We need as many messages as possible!

Here's how easy it is to make your voice heard:

Send an email to the committee chair, Assembly Member Bonnie Lowenthal of Long Beach. You'll be able to add a personal message -- be sure to do this, especially if you've been hit or run off the road by a driver passing unsafely. This helps the committee understand why this bill is so important.

Or you can download a sample letter of support (Word doc), which you can personalize and send to Assembly Member Lowenthal at the address provided in the letter or email it to the CBC at cbc@calbike.org for delivery.

Please deliver your emails or letters no later than next Monday, June 19. This is a really important deadline -- messages received after that date won't be counted in the staff analysis.

Finally, if your Assembly Member sits on the Assembly Transportation Committee, please consider calling his or her district office to express your support for the bill. Every legislator counts and tracks messages from their constituents -- they matter!

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact our colleagues at the CBC directly at 916-446-7558 or cbc@calbike.org.