On Thursday, after four years of advocacy by Tri-State and allies, and with less than a week until the close of the 2014 legislative session, the Connecticut House of Representatives passed the Vulnerable User bill (SB 336) by a vote of 136-3 (with 12 members absent and not voting). The bill had strong bipartisan support in both the Senate and the House, and appears to have gained several co-sponsors in the days leading up to its passage.

The Senate passed the bill last Thursday, but there was never any certainty that it would be voted on in the House. In 2013, the Senate passed the bill unanimously, but the session ended before the bill could be brought to a full vote.

The Vulnerable User bill likely would not have passed if not for safe streets stalwarts State Senator Beth Bye and State Representative Roland Lemar, as well as the efforts of our fellow advocates. The bill will be sent to Governor Malloy, who recently announced the creation of a $15 million transit-oriented development fund that will finance “livable, walkable, bikeable” developments. If that’s any indication of where the governor stands on pedestrian and bicyclist safety, then there’s no reason he shouldn’t sign SB 336 into law.