Photo by Shane MacRhodes
Our Safe Routes to School Bill—House Bill 3230—took one more giant step this morning at the capitol in Salem.
The House Committee on Transportation Policy voted (almost unanimously) to move forward House Bill 3230—with a recommendation to pass—to the Ways and Means Committee! House Bill 3230 would dedicate $16 million annually to Safe Routes to School programs across the state; fund street safety projects within a one-mile radius of school; and prioritize Title 1 schools, where a majority of low-income students are eligible for free and reduced lunch.
Today, we send a HUGE thank you to Representative John Lively and Senator Kathleen Taylor for co-sponsoring this bill, as well as testifying; and to everyone who submitted written testimony and spoke up in support of Safe Routes to School for every kid across Oregon.
The next step for House Bill 3230 is the Ways and Means Committee; required for any bill that passes a House or Senate Committee and has a dollar amount attached. It is the Committee that decides which bills receive funding and how much each will receive.
Following support from Rep. Lively and Sen. Taylor, members of the For Every Kid Coalition provided testimony, including: Kim Curley (Commute Options advocate and mom from Bend); Shane MacRhodes (advocate and dad from Eugene); and LeeAnne Fergason (For Every Kid Coalition manager). Next, the Committee held a quick work session and discussion, where members debated the importance of a comprehensive Safe Routes to School program. Minutes later, the Committee voted, Chair Caddy McKeown hit the gavel on her desk, and sent our Safe Routes to School Bill to the Ways and Means Committee with a recommendation to pass.
Afterwards, we celebrated over breakfast, with others who made the trek to Salem so early in the morning. Thanks again to everyone who made today a big success!
House Bill 3230 Moves Ahead
There will be more opportunities to testify and submit written testimony, in the near future, as our goal now is to ensure that House Bill 3230 is included in the next Transportation Package. Stay tuned with the For Every Kid Coalition by signing our petition.
For Every Kid is a growing coalition of community, public health, and social justice organizations dedicated to making safe routes to school for every kid; advocating for dedicated funds for Safe Routes to School programs and projects that make streets safe. Supporters include the Safe Routes to School National Partnership, Oregon Walks, OPAL Environmental Justice, Community Cycling Center, Transportation for America, Commute Options, and hundreds of others.