HB 57: "An Act authorizing municipalities and nonprofit organizations to sponsor a program to encourage the safe use of bicycles as a mode of transportation, and amending the duties of the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities to include administration of state funds appropriated for that purpose."
00 HOUSE BILL NO. 57 01 "An Act authorizing municipalities and nonprofit organizations to sponsor a program to 02 encourage the safe use of bicycles as a mode of transportation, and amending the duties 03 of the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities to include administration of 04 state funds appropriated for that purpose." 05 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 06 * Section 1. AS 29.55 is amended by adding a new section to read: 07 Article 2. Safe Bicycle Ridership. 08 Sec. 29.55.100. Safe bicycle ridership. (a) To encourage the safe use of 09 bicycles as a mode of transportation, the governing body of a municipality may 10 establish a program within the municipality to encourage the safe use, distribution, and 11 maintenance of bicycles, bicycle helmets, bicycle facilities, and bicycle trailers. 12 (b) The municipality may apply for a grant under AS 44.42.150 to receive 13 funds for the purchase, maintenance, and repair of bicycles, bicycle helmets, bicycle 14 facilities, and bicycle trailers by municipal residents.
01 * Sec. 2. AS 44.42 is amended by adding a new section to read: 02 Article 1A. Program to Encourage Safe Bicycle Ridership. 03 Sec. 44.42.150. Grant program to encourage safe bicycle ridership. (a) To 04 encourage the regular and safe use of bicycles and bicycling as a mode of 05 transportation, a grant program is established in the department to allow municipalities 06 and nonprofit organizations within the state to apply for financial assistance to 07 establish programs for the purchase, maintenance, and repair of bicycles, bicycle 08 helmets, bicycle facilities, and bicycle trailers by residents of the community where 09 the grantee is located. 10 (b) The department shall develop regulations establishing criteria for issuing 11 grants to municipalities and nonprofit organizations for the program, giving priority 12 for receiving grants to municipalities and nonprofit organizations that actively 13 encourage safe bicycling as a mode of transportation. 14 (c) The commissioner shall appoint an administrator of the program. The 15 administrator shall 16 (1) educate communities and nonprofit organizations about the 17 program and the grant requirements; 18 (2) receive and evaluate grant applications; 19 (3) from money in the fund described in (d) of this section, award 20 grants to qualified applicants. 21 (d) There is established in the department a fund to encourage safe bicycle 22 ridership. The Department of Revenue is the fiduciary of the fund and may invest 23 money in the fund under AS 37.10.071. The fund consists of appropriations by the 24 legislature of 25 (1) money to provide grants for the program; 26 (2) gifts, bequests, contributions from other sources, and federal 27 money; and 28 (3) interest earned on the fund balance. 29 (e) In this section, "program" means the grant program to encourage the 30 regular and safe use of bicycles and bicycling as a mode of transportation, as described 31 in this section.
01 * Sec. 3. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 02 read: 03 PROGRAM SURVEY. Not later than 04 (1) December 31, 2011, the Department of Transportation and Public 05 Facilities shall mail a survey to all Alaska residents who received a bicycle or bicycle trailer 06 under the program established in AS 44.42.150, added by sec. 2 of this Act, to evaluate the 07 effectiveness of that program; 08 (2) December 31, 2012, the department shall deliver a report to the legislature 09 with an evaluation of the program to encourage safe bicycle ridership and recommendations 10 for the program.