STREETCARS                                                                                                                                                                       H.B. 4541 (S-1):

                                                                                                                                                                                                      SUMMARY OF BILL

                                                                                                                                                                        REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE

House Bill 4541 (Substitute S-1 as reported)

Sponsor:   Representative Graham Filler

House Committee:   Government Operations

Senate Committee:   Regulatory Reform

CONTENT

The bill would amend the Michigan Vehicle Code to do the following:

 --       Require the owner or another occupant of a motor vehicle involved in an accident to remove it away from a streetcar track if it were located in a place that would block, delay, or otherwise interfere with the movement of a streetcar on a streetcar track.

 --       Allow a law enforcement agency to remove or dispose of a motor vehicle and cargoes of vehicles involved in an accident if it were blocking a streetcar track or could delay or interfere with the movement of a streetcar on a streetcar track.    

 --       Allow the driver of a vehicle to drive the vehicle in any lane lawfully available to traffic moving in the same direction of travel when the lanes were occupied by a streetcar or drive in any left-hand lane lawfully available to traffic moving in the same direction to avoid blocking, delaying, or otherwise interfering with the movement of a streetcar on a streetcar track.  

 --       Prohibit a person from operating an electric personal assistance mobility device, low speed vehicle, electric skateboard, or moped from blocking, delaying, or otherwise interfering with the movement of a streetcar on a streetcar track.

 --       Allow the governing body of a county, city, village, entity created under the Urban Cooperation Act, or township to prohibit the use of electric personal assistive mobility devices, electric skateboards, or commercial quadricycles on a street that included streetcar tracks.

 --       Prohibit an  individual from parking a bicycle or an electric skateboard equipped with handlebars on a highway or street in such a manner as to block, delay, or otherwise interfere with the movement of a streetcar on a streetcar track.

 --       Prohibit a vehicle from being parked on a streetcar track or in a manner that blocked, delayed, or otherwise interfered with the movement of a streetcar on a streetcar track.

 --       Modify various definitions.

The bill also would add Chapter 6A (Streetcars) to the Code to do the following:

 --       Require the driver of a bicycle or vehicle proceeding on a streetcar track in front of a streetcar to remove the bicycle or vehicle from the streetcar track as soon as practicable after a signal from the operator of the streetcar.

 --       Prohibit a person from boarding a streetcar for a purpose other than purchasing a streetcar fare.

 --       Prohibit a person from entering, remaining, occupying, or using a station that was part of a street railway system, including a shared station, except for certain purposes.

 --       Prescribe permit