Senator Portantino’s Bill to Improve Pedestrian & Cyclist Safety Passes Senate Floor
For Immediate Release: May 24, 2022
Contact: Lerna Shirinian, (818) 409-0400
Senator Portantino’s Bill to Improve Pedestrian & Cyclist Safety Passes Senate Floor
Sacramento, CA - Senate Bill 932, a measure introduced by State Senator Anthony J. Portantino (D – La Cañada Flintridge) to prioritize pedestrian and cyclist safety, passed the Senate Floor today. The bill would require California cities to take concrete steps to reduce traffic collisions and fatalities and has garnered an impressive list of supporters, including Streets For All, ActiveSGV, CalBike, and Streets Are For Everyone.
“SB 932 is an effective way to mitigate injuries and fatalities and will yield positive change for our communities,” stated Senator Portantino. “Many of our streets remain more dangerous than ever and using data driven safety plans will improve our quality of life, save lives and encourage more people to walk and bike to their destinations. As a recent daily biker, it has been a tremendous benefit for me as a policy maker to reach out to the biking community to learn more and to collaborate on this important public safety and environmental effort. This bill is not just about cyclists, it’s about the safety of everyone using our streets. I am saddened by the all too common tragedies that occur which implores all of us to make bold steps to improve safety.”
Recent data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration documenting a nearly 20% increase in traffic fatalities in the first six months of 2021 highlights the need for SB 932. Though California has been part of a national trend to create safer streets, many cities lack data on how to address traffic violence, deaths caused by accident, serious injuries to pedestrians, cyclists, and other human-powered-transit users. In certain cities where the most dangerous streets and corridors have been identified, no plans exist to remedy these deadly situations.
SB 932 requires a county or city to include a map of the high injury network in its General Plan and would further require a county or city to identify and prioritize safety improvements that would address serious and injurious traffic collisions. The bill would increase or decrease the 15-year implementation period, based on whether the measures introduced by a county or city achieve results to reduce percentages of traffic violence. It would also create an annual grant program to award funding to cities and counties that implement timely and effective short-term efforts to mitigate bicycle, pedestrian, and other human-powered transportation injuries and fatalities.
"We are thrilled SB 932 passed the Senate today. Not only are fatalities from car crashes up nearly 20% in California, but single passenger vehicles remain the single greatest contributor to greenhouse gases in the State. Neither our traffic violence nor climate crises will improve until cities large and small begin to incentivize sustainable modes of transportation. We are proud sponsors of SB 932 for its use of reasonable mandates and attractive incentives to move cities to act to provide Californians the safe, clean, and efficient transportation options they deserve,” stated Bubba Fish, Legislative Advocate at Streets for All.
Senator Portantino is a former Mayor and Councilmember who worked for safer streets while in local government. SB 932 continues those efforts but with an even more personal story. Like many Californians, he used the isolation of the pandemic to improve his own health. Over the past 18 months, the Senator has become an avid and almost daily bike rider both in Sacramento and across the 25th State Senate District.
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