04/28/1975 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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e e e B. Legislative su~ttee Report - April 21, 1975 Traffic Safety Bills You will recall that lJst week we reported on a number of traffic safety l.ills .in re- sponse to a memorandu/!, from the Eugene Traffic Safety Commission, but made no lccom- mendation on three bills upon which we requested further information. Thi.; we,.k wc discussed the three bll1S with Mr. Smartt, traffic engineering division, and n'M mdke the fOllowing recommendations: ~.B.244 - Oppos,.. This bill would permit young people of any age to operate a motorcycle under the supervision of a licensed adult. Present law provides that in order to operate a motorcycle one must already have a dr' v,.>r' s pel mi t. The subcommi ttee agrees wi th the Traffic Safety Com- mission III opposing this bill. s.R.282 - Oppose. This bill would make it legal. to have brake stop lights activated also by taking the foot off the accelerator. The subcommittee agrees with the Traffic ;;Jr"L'ty Commission that this is unnecessary and possibly contusing. S. B. 324 - Present law permi ts holders of chauffeurs lic€'nses to regain their operatin,; permits I'ri(..'[ to a court case after refusing to take a breath test. This law would extend that privllegc to salesmen and other occupations tllut de- pend upon ..11 ivlng, subj('ct to a review of the driver.'s record by the Di,.isJon of 'fat or Vehicles. No review by the Division of Motor Vehicles is no\<.' required. The State 7'raffic Safety Commission OppoSE1S this bill. The /-;u"ene C"mmission supports it. The legislative subcommittee recommends support of the part of the bill broadening the Motor Vehicle Division's powers to rev i ('10' dr i v 1 ng records before a 1 icense can be returned to the driver. Tht' sulJComml ttee recomml'nds taking no position on expanding this privilc.'ge to holders of other occupational licenses. Air Pollution S.B.687 - Strongly oppose. This bill provides that State regulation of indirect sources of aIr pollution may not be more stringent than standards adopted by the Fedcr,d EPA. "Indirect sources" means traffic and parking facilities. Federal standards for this are not completed. 'DEQ has established strict regulations For the Portland area and now regulates parking facilities statewide. 'rhis bill limiting local power to combat pollution is dangerous and shou 1 d b(? opposed. H.B.3252 - Support. Tilis bill by Representative Kulongoski loOuld prohibit all motor vehicle traffic except for emergency and mass transit in the Eugene/ Springfield metropol.i tan area during an air pollution alert, and would stop all industry that is a pollution source. It would also stop all field, slash, and other open burning in Lane and Linn counties during the alert. The subcommittee recommends support of this bill with the amend- ment that during an alert .in this metropolitan area all burning and all pollution sources be prohibited not only in Lane and Linn Counties but throughout the Wi1lamette Valley to the north including Portland, because that is where a great part of our pollution originates. Other Legislation H.B.5046 - Strongly support:. Governor's mass transit budget. This bill wdf.Ild provide funding for local mass transit systems. The subcommittee requests Mr. Hartin, assis~nt city' manager, to draft a letter to the Legislature expressing the city's support, and if possible to arrange for someone to testify at the hearings. 8.B.3078 - Support. This 'bill i>IOuld tax ,the S~ate on the ~sls of the numb8r"of its employes in any particular locality as a contribution to 1II1UIl!l transit. Tbe bill was written especially for Salem. H.B.2978 - Strongly support. This bill ~uld eKpand the bardshJp assessment de- ferral to include (at State expense) deferral of prOperty ..sess_ht when improvements are lllade necessary because of . health hazard. H. B. 2824 - Support. This 1s a bill dealing wi th local government invest/llent procedures, a housekeeping measure supported bI} our staff. I [Councilwoman Beal read that part of the report recommending ~mendment to 'H.B.3252 which would prohibit all open burning and other pollution sources not only in the Eugene/Springfield metropolitan area but also throughout the Willamette Valley to the north including Portland. Councilman Williams sup- ported the idea but doubted the wisdom of stopping all. vehicles that would extend the ban even to food deliveries and stopping all industry that would result in unemployment to a great number of people. He felt certain kinds of driving should be stoppe.~. in the eVent. ~f..an-air alert -'pl'!HItSoQre driving, 2.22 . A/28/75 - 17