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Auto safety bill to get push

Discussion in 'Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News' started by bwilson4web, Dec 1, 2010.

  1. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    Auto safety bill to get push | detnews.com | The Detroit News

    I have been doing a slow burn on S.3302 because if you go to Thomas, they don't list the private copy Sen. Rockefeller is circulating. I saw it in the report from the Commerce and Transportation committee but could not find it last night. Now I understand how bad legislation gets passed into law.

    The official copy of a senate (possibly house too) bill shows nice clean language without any silliness. It would ordinarily be dry as dirt and just as entertaining. But it is in the 'substitute' amendments that silliness such as "Bell the Hybrid" is found.

    Well the bill still has two strikes: (1) little time and, (2) needs money. Both of these in light of the recent election may be enough to kill it in the Senate. We will see.

    Win, lose or draw, I won't feel the least regret because I've done everything I know to stop "Bell the Hybrid." If it fails in this Congress, I doubt the Republicans will let it gain any traction in the next two years. If it succeeds, well sometimes 'reality' must discipline the foolish.

    Bob Wilson
     
    #1 bwilson4web, Dec 1, 2010
  2. Rybold

    Rybold globally warmed member

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    The way things have been looking over the past few days, it's going to be tough to get anything through Congress right now that isn't a big topic issue, like tax cuts an unemployment benefits. Who will be introducing this bill - Dems or Repubs?
     
    #2 Rybold, Dec 1, 2010
  3. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    The Senate bill comes from Democratic Senator Jay Rockefeller with eight Democratic co-sponsors and Republican Olympia Snowe. The House bill is not likely to come up until after the Senate bill.

    If it dies, it will be in the Senate. If it passes the Senate, then there is a chance that the House will adopt the Senate version and pass it. Any other approach and it would go into conference committee and run out the clock.

    Never say never but time and politics is not on the side of this bill.

    Bob Wilson
     
    #3 bwilson4web, Dec 1, 2010
  4. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    When my state repealed its hybrid sales tax exemption last year, nearly all important legislation was drafted and settled in the supermajority party's closed caucuses, out of sight of the committee hearings, minority party, press, and general public. I scanned the legislature's BillFinder every few weeks, and was happy to find nothing of concern in the filed proposed bills.

    Three weeks after the session adjourned, we discovered what really happened. The key word tags were kept off critical items, so public searches of the official database wouldn't find anything, until well after the governor signed the bills into law.
     
    #4 fuzzy1, Dec 2, 2010
  5. Rybold

    Rybold globally warmed member

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    I'm not sure if you heard the news today from Capitol Hill, but it's looking like this bill will not be passing:

    http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/02/us/politics/02cong.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
     
    #5 Rybold, Dec 2, 2010
  6. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    Politics changes quickly and I won't rest easy until the week of Christmas. Then there will also be another Congress next year and possibly a breather. But I would remind everyone that the NHTSA support for "Bell the Hybrid" began under a Republican administration.

    When I attended the first 'hearing', Republican George W Bush was in the White House and I remember his political appointee, Roger Medford, lying to my face and saying "this Bill just supports a study." I had read the bill and knew the language mandated noise makers. In April 2010, the NHTSA conducted their 'study' with a series of experiments.

    Personally, I think the best way to sink this flawed legislation is driver operated, noise generators . . . say turn signal relays 'clickers' relocated adjacent to the lights. The same for backup lights (and default cabin backup to a single beep with optional silence.) I have no problem with turn signal, 'relay loud' clickers announcing the driver's intention that are co-located with turn signal and backup lights.

    Bob Wilson
     
    #6 bwilson4web, Dec 2, 2010
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