SR 216: Senate Study Committee on Vulnerable Roadway Users; create

Senate Resolution 216

By: Senators Parent of the 44th, Albers of the 56th, Hufstetler of the 52nd, Jackson of the 41st, Kennedy of the 18th and others

ADOPTED SENATE

A RESOLUTION

Creating the Senate Study Committee on Vulnerable Roadway Users; and for other purposes.

WHEREAS, pedestrian and cyclist fatalities in Georgia have risen from 11 percent to 19 percent over the past 15 years; and

WHEREAS, Georgia ranked as the sixth-most dangerous state for pedestrians, according to 2022 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data; and

WHEREAS, under Georgia law, striking a pedestrian is often treated as a minor offense unless injuries meet the high threshold of serious; and

WHEREAS, serious injuries are frequently underreported when comparing police crash reports to Department of Public Health hospital impact and emergency room visit data in the Georgia Emergency Medical Services Information System and the Georgia Trauma Registry; and

WHEREAS, some laws relating to traffic violations bureaus have not been amended in more than 50 years and thus allow defendants to bypass court appearances and accountability, leaving victims, including pedestrians and cyclists, without the opportunity to present victim impact statements; and

WHEREAS, Georgia's infrastructure budgets and plans should be reviewed to ensure investments are being made in safety countermeasures to reduce roadway fatalities and injuries; and

WHEREAS, study of Georgia law is needed to determine appropriate penalties for harming vulnerable roadway users and to improve enforcement mechanisms, including revisions to violations of law handled in traffic violations bureaus.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE:

(1) Creation of Senate study committee. There is created the Senate Study Committee on Vulnerable Roadway Users.

(2) Members and officers. The committee shall be composed of five members of the Senate to be appointed by the President of the Senate. The President shall designate one member of the committee as chairperson of the committee.

(3) Powers and duties. The committee shall undertake a study of the conditions, needs, issues, and problems mentioned above or related thereto and recommend any action or legislation which the committee deems necessary or appropriate.

(4) Meetings. The chairperson shall call all meetings of the committee. The committee may conduct such meetings at such places and at such times as it may deem necessary or convenient to enable it to exercise fully and effectively its powers, perform its duties, and accomplish the objectives and purposes of this resolution.

(5) Allowances and funding.

(A) The legislative members of the committee shall receive the allowances provided for in Code Section 28-1-8 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated.

(B) The allowances authorized by this resolution shall not be received by any member of the committee for more than five days unless additional days are authorized. Funds necessary to carry out the provisions of this resolution shall come from funds appropriated to the Senate.

(6) Report.

(A) In the event the committee adopts any specific findings or recommendations that include suggestions for proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file a report of the same prior to the date of abolishment specified in this resolution, subject to subparagraph (C) of this paragraph.

(B) In the event the committee adopts a report that does not include suggestions for proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file the report, subject to subparagraph (C) of this paragraph.

(C) No report shall be filed unless the same has been approved prior to the date of abolishment specified in this resolution by majority vote of a quorum of the committee. A report so approved shall be signed by the chairperson of the committee and filed with the Secretary of the Senate.

(D) In the absence of an approved report, the chairperson may file with the Secretary of the Senate a copy of the minutes of the meetings of the committee in lieu thereof.

(7) Abolishment. The committee shall stand abolished on December 1, 2025.