[NFBMDTLC-Chapter] Bad News: HB0107 / SB0943 - Better Bus Services Act

Wed Apr 10 13:25:59 UTC 2024

Hi Folks,

I'm sorry to share that the House and Senate passed the bad version of the
Better Bus Services Act, HB0107 / SB0943.  In the end, the House insisted on
keeping out bus stops and curb cuts, and in order to have a bill instead of
no bill, the Senate receded on its position.  Supposedly the work group that
was established in this bill is going to help make sure that people with
disabilities are able to overcome bus stop and curb cut obstacles, but that
doesn't actually mean anything enforceable.  We'll try again in future
legislative sessions.

Thank you for all you do - it matters.

Ronza

Ronza Othman, President

National Federation of the Blind of Maryland

443-426-4110

Pronouns: she, her, hers

From: Maryland President <president at nfbmd.org> 
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Subject: RE: Legislative Alert: HB0107 / SB0943 - Better Bus Services Act

Hi Folks:

We still need help on this - the Senate and House are negotiating on which
version of this bill will prevail, and we need our voices heard.  That means
you.  If you do nothing else today, please call Chair Korman and Vice Chair
Boyce to tell them to keep the Senate version of the bill and to protect bus
stops and curb cuts.

The General Assembly will end its 2024 session on Monday, so time is of the
essence.

Ronza Othman, President

National Federation of the Blind of Maryland

443-426-4110

Pronouns: she, her, hers

From: Maryland President <president at nfbmd.org <mailto:president at nfbmd.org> >

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Subject: Legislative Alert: HB0107 / SB0943 - Better Bus Services Act

Hi Friends,

We are asking our members and friends to mobilize on the Better Bus Services
Act, specifically the Senate version, SB0943.

As you know, the House previously stripped protections for bus stops and
curb cuts from its version of the bill, HB0107, and we're concerned that the
House Environment and Transportation Committee will do the same with the
Senate version of the bill.  House Environment and Transportation will hear
the Senate version of the bill, which did keep the protections in, this
Tuesday, April 2. 

We need everyone to call and email the House Environment and Transportation
Committee members to urge them to retain and vote favorable on the Senate
bill and to resist amending it to conform to the House version.  Below you
will find some language you can use, and please copy Annapolis at nfbmd.org
<mailto:Annapolis at nfbmd.org>  when you send your emails.  You can also call
the members of the Committee, but please  let me know if you do so.

Dear Delegate [Name],

I am writing to urge you to vote in support of SB0943, the Better Bus
Services Act, and I am asking you not to support amending the Senate bill to
conform with the House Bill, HB0107.  This is because the House version of
the bill, when it was amended, changed the bill from being a pro-disability
bill to an anti-disability bill.  Blind and low vision Marylanders like me
use public transportation to move around in our communities, to get to
medical appointments, to get to work, and to do all of the things that
others without disabilities do.  However, we're dependent on bus services,
and we need bus stops and curb cuts to be unobstructed.  Because people stop
and park in bus lanes and curb cuts, blocking them, Marylanders with
disabilities can't safely or independently cross the street or get on and
off the bus.  

For example, we use our canes and the curb cut to line up with the
crosswalk, which then enables us to safely cross the street.  But when a
vehicle blocks the curb cut, we have to step into traffic to cross, and we
may veer into a moving traffic lane.  Others using wheelchairs also can't
get on or off the sidewalk when the curb cuts are obstructed.  In terms of
bus stops, we depend on them as tactile landmarks for where the bus will
pick up passengers, and we need to be able to hear the audio announcements
to identify the right bus.  If a vehicle is obstructing the bus stop, then
we can't easily identify the buses as they arrive since they are often not
near the bus stop, and sometimes we can't hear them at all; that means we
are missing the bus because a vehicle driver blocked the bus from picking us
up where  it is supposed to do so.  Others using wheelchairs or other
mobility devices also need buses to stop at proper bus stops in order to
safely get on and off the bus, because bus stops are designed to have enough
space and clearance for bus ramps; other areas along the road may have
obstructions like treewells, signs, poles, and stoops, which mean those in
wheelchairs may not be able to safely board or debark a bus other than at
the bus stop.

The bus lane monitoring mechanism applicable to bus stops and curb cuts is
precisely what made this bill a pro-disability bill, and removing those
protections means that those who obstruct bus stops and curb cuts can
continue to prevent people with disabilities from safely and independently
moving around our communities.  In fact, removing these protections is the
same as telling violators that it's OK to do so.

For these reasons, I ask you to support SB0943 as is and keep the bus stop
and curb cut protections in the bill.

Please contact me if you have questions.

Thanks,

[Your name]

Members of House Energy and Transportation Committee

Marc Korman, Chair

Marc.Korman at house.state.md.us <mailto:Marc.Korman at house.state.md.us> 

410-841-3649

Regina Boyce, Vice Chair

Regina.Boyce at house.state.md.us <mailto:Regina.Boyce at house.state.md.us> 

410-841-3476

Jackie Addison

Jackie.Addison at house.state.md.us <mailto:Jackie.Addison at house.state.md.us> 

410-841-3551

Nick Allen

Nick.Allen at house.state.md.us <mailto:Nick.Allen at house.state.md.us> 

410-841-3365

Terry Baker

Terry.Baker at house.state.md.us <mailto:Terry.Baker at house.state.md.us> 

410-841-3321

Barrie Ciliberti

Barrie.ciliberti at house.state.md.us
<mailto:Barrie.ciliberti at house.state.md.us> 

410-841-3080

Debra Davis

Debra.davis at house.state.md.us <mailto:Debra.davis at house.state.md.us> 

410-841-3337

Linda Foley

Linda.Foley at house.state.md.us <mailto:Linda.Foley at house.state.md.us> 

410-841-3052

Michele Guyton

Michele.Guyton at house.state.md.us <mailto:Michele.Guyton at house.state.md.us> 

410-841-3793

Anne Healey

Anne.Healey at house.state.md.us <mailto:Anne.Healey at house.state.md.us> 

410-841-3961

Marvin Holmes

Marvin.Holmes at house.state.md.us <mailto:Marvin.Holmes at house.state.md.us> 

410-841-3310

Jay Jacobs

Jay.Jacobs at house.state.md.us <mailto:Jay.Jacobs at house.state.md.us> 

410-841-3449

Mary Lehman

Mary.Lehman at house.state.md.us <mailto:Mary.Lehman at house.state.md.us> 

410-841-3114

Jeffrie Long

Jeffrie.long at house.state.md.us <mailto:Jeffrie.long at house.state.md.us> 

410-841-3398

Sara Love

Sara.love at house.state.md.us <mailto:Sara.love at house.state.md.us> 

410-841-3454

Todd Morgan

Todd.Morgan at house.state.md.us <mailto:Todd.Morgan at house.state.md.us> 

410-841-3319

Ryan Nawrocki

Ryan.Nawrocki at house.state.md.us <mailto:Ryan.Nawrocki at house.state.md.us> 

410-841-3289

Charles Otto

Charles.Otto at house.state.md.us <mailto:Charles.Otto at house.state.md.us> 

410-841-3433

Sheila Ruth

Sheila.ruth at house.state.md.us <mailto:Sheila.ruth at house.state.md.us> 

410-841-3802

Dana Stein

Dana.Stein at house.state.md.us <mailto:Dana.Stein at house.state.md.us> 

410-841-3527

Vaughn Stewart

Vaughn.stewart at house.state.md.us <mailto:Vaughn.stewart at house.state.md.us> 

410-841-3528

Jen Terrasa

Jen.Terrasa at house.state.md.us <mailto:Jen.Terrasa at house.state.md.us> 

410-841-3246

Natalie Ziegler

Natalie.Ziegler at house.state.md.us <mailto:Natalie.Ziegler at house.state.md.us>

410-841-3352

Thanks,

Ronza

Ronza Othman, President

National Federation of the Blind of Maryland

443-426-4110

Pronouns: she, her, hers

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