Va. General Assembly Bills of Interest

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Va. General Assembly Bills of Interest

Postby dcgsrider » Wed Jan 17, 2018 3:32 pm

VCOM has an updated list of bills of interest in the current General Assembly session.

https://vcomonline.org/bills-of-interest/
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Re: Va. General Assembly Bills of Interest

Postby dcgsrider » Wed Feb 07, 2018 4:58 pm

HB 1464, which would allow certain kinds of auxiliary motorcycle lighting not currently permitted in Va., has passed out of subcommittee in a unanimous vote. Now on the full House transportation committee.

https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp60 ... sum+HB1464
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Re: Va. General Assembly Bills of Interest

Postby thanatos1224 » Wed Feb 07, 2018 8:25 pm

So is this a good thing? Am I probably missing the bigger picture on this? Is there a lawyer in the house that can help a poor ole hick like me to understand it?
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Re: Va. General Assembly Bills of Interest

Postby mlytle » Wed Feb 07, 2018 10:07 pm

does not seem like a good thing to me...

the way i read it, it makes things like skene photonblasters illegal. ref criteria (i) and (iv)

"Auxiliary lighting on motorcycles and autocycles. Provides that motorcycles and autocycles may be equipped with red or amber standard bulb running lights or light-emitting diode (LED) pods or strips as auxiliary lighting. The bill requires such lights to (i) be directed at the ground, (ii) not emit a beam of light greater than 25 candlepower per bulb, (iii) not be attached to wheels, and (iv) not be blinking, flashing, oscillating, or rotating. "

why would VCOM support this? am i missing something?
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Re: Va. General Assembly Bills of Interest

Postby dcgsrider » Thu Feb 08, 2018 11:23 am

Under current law, most front or side-facing color auxiliary lighting is illegal on motorcycles (but of course it's *required* by federal regulations on cars). Only white lights or yellowish "fog" lights are permitted in the forward direction. You're kind of at the mercy of how much of a stickler the mechanic wants to be when you take it in.

I think the Skene lights would be permitted because they do not "blink," "flash," or "oscillate" per se. "Oscillate" means "swing back and forth." (I would say the Skene lights "pulse.") VCOM has spent a lot of time developing the language, and it's their bill. Law enforcement has concerns about colored blinking or flashing lights, for obvious reasons. Legislators tend to be very deferential to law enforcement, so anything law enforcement objects to is likely to face tough sledding.

If you have concerns, please write to VCOM. I've always gotten prompt response from them. I had a bit of back and forth with VCOM about a previous version of this bill. They are fully aware of all the issues.
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Re: Va. General Assembly Bills of Interest

Postby dcgsrider » Fri Feb 09, 2018 11:10 am

Update: HB 1464 has passed the House Transportation Committee unanimously. Usually uncontested bills are adopted by the full House as a matter of routine. Then it's on to the Senate.
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Re: Va. General Assembly Bills of Interest

Postby dcgsrider » Thu Mar 01, 2018 11:33 am

Looks like this bill is going to pass and become law. It's on track to be adopted in the Senate, with a minor amendment.

More here:

https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp60 ... sum+HB1464
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Re: Va. General Assembly Bills of Interest

Postby mlytle » Thu Mar 01, 2018 8:01 pm

dcgsrider wrote:Under current law, most front or side-facing color auxiliary lighting is illegal on motorcycles (but of course it's *required* by federal regulations on cars). Only white lights or yellowish "fog" lights are permitted in the forward direction. You're kind of at the mercy of how much of a stickler the mechanic wants to be when you take it in.

I think the Skene lights would be permitted because they do not "blink," "flash," or "oscillate" per se. "Oscillate" means "swing back and forth." (I would say the Skene lights "pulse.") VCOM has spent a lot of time developing the language, and it's their bill. Law enforcement has concerns about colored blinking or flashing lights, for obvious reasons. Legislators tend to be very deferential to law enforcement, so anything law enforcement objects to is likely to face tough sledding.

If you have concerns, please write to VCOM. I've always gotten prompt response from them. I had a bit of back and forth with VCOM about a previous version of this bill. They are fully aware of all the issues.


yes, but the "blink" clause is only one of four requirements...the list is "and" not "or". the other items that must be complied with are "pointed at ground" and "less than 25cp". that is a fail for warning lights like skenes. does not seem like VCOM put much thought into it.....
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Re: Va. General Assembly Bills of Interest

Postby Georgeinva » Fri Mar 02, 2018 11:41 am

mlytle wrote:yes, but the "blink" clause is only one of four requirements...the list is "and" not "or". the other items that must be complied with are "pointed at ground" and "less than 25cp". that is a fail for warning lights like skenes. does not seem like VCOM put much thought into it.....


Don't forget that all signal lights must be 20" above the ground (caliper mounts are too low) and be SAE-D approved. And while we at it most aftermarket exhaust are not DOT approved. Remember there is a difference between passes inspection and legal to operator on the road, crazy but true. From page 87 of the inspection manual "NOTE: If a vehicle is inspected that does not have a muffler, the inspector should explain to the customer that although the vehicle will pass inspection without a muffler, it is a violation of state law for the vehicle to be operated on the highway without it. "

Most inspectors are not familiar with the minutia of the inspection code and most police have much more pressing concerns.
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