[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6256126,"mediaKeyId","3159297-849fbc86a07b4002f8e95a12c97108cf","parentId",3159297,"title","House panel debates bill to let bicyclists treat stop signs as yield when no vehicles present; police urge education","audioSeconds",1920,"startMs",2425000,"endMs",4345000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3159297-849fbc86a07b4002f8e95a12c97108cf&start=2425&end=4345","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3159297-849fbc86a07b4002f8e95a12c97108cf/thumbnail_2425000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6256126/Vermont/House-panel-debates-bill-to-let-bicyclists-treat-stop-signs-as-yield-when-no-vehicles-present-police-urge-education","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6256126-000ff71425d85b04b97438596cb7a81a/orig.mp4?Expires=1775512890&Signature=i0SBJx4sKxoXPx9YIxKbOkAVeVfn6qUfSFykkIBGH5wX32jtC7YAxZ4snd8H23YNOqDUWRaMfxGAziduEFrPdIViNaL8iHOWX5guSLDdKY4EjkOzQ1sBCMk6OG7ZU-U1Dinbyvklii1ZKFrVKLhq90VuZEzy-XbSda6iRd0ZioFBEUd5YHiolN6g3xTP57ZvmGuqiPUgltZTQJhu~MoTPZXxaHq0A4NvQocE0vWbHQABt8sXaSDCal0X7VH58~1QrRX6c629p39Jq3uZVR7Shg5UQqkFjJ0ksZ2dmlj6spA516rWK5~Vo3v-lWoE6pdyDsSaAnE4NC~YO~0hOP9OXg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-04-30T19:34:03.673Z","article","The House Transportation Committee on April 30 considered an amendment to S.123 that would let bicyclists treat stop signs and flashing red lights as yield signs in certain circumstances — a policy often called the “Idaho stop.” Representative Pouch introduced the amendment and committee members asked the Vermont State Police about enforcement and safety implications.

Lieutenant Paul Raval told the committee that the department is “neutral” on the discretionary change but raised practical enforcement and investigation concerns. He said the amendment’s proposed language, which would apply only when “no other vehicles were approaching,” reduces the occasions when the alternative rule would apply but does not eliminate questions about how officers would observe or prosecute violations that occur out of sight.

“Initially my approach to this is like, I don't ever want to put a bicycle up against the vehicle in any, in any way, at any intersection at any time,” Raval said, noting that many bicyclists receive no formal road-safety education comparable to licensed drivers. Still, he said some states have adopted similar laws and studies show mixed patterns of bicyclist crashes at intersections.

Raval cited a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) dataset discussed during past studies: the study referenced roughly 966 fatal bicycle crashes nationally in the period covered, with about 29% occurring at intersections. In Vermont, he said the state averaged about one bicyclist fatality per year over several recent years, with two in one recent year; he characterized the statewide totals as small but noted that even single fatalities prompt calls for policy change.

The department recommended any statutory change be narrowly defined. “If there is an acceptance to this, that the definition of that person who can use that is limited to what we're trying to keep safe, and those are the people that are the most vulnerable… human powered pedal cyclists,” Raval said, explaining that NHTSA’s studies focus on pedal cyclists and do not include e-bikes or motorized vehicles.

Several committee members emphasized consistency and education. Representative Lyle said letting bicyclists use crosswalks or an explicit statewide rule would improve clarity: “I just wanted to speak, especially in favor of allowing cyclists to cross with the crosswalks. I think there's a real, like, just legibility to that that makes a lot of sense to many people,” she said, adding that clearer, statewide rules could make it safer and easier to teach children to walk and bike to school.

Other legislators voiced concerns about younger riders and the low-barrier nature of bicycle riding. Raval and members discussed the three E’s of traffic safety—engineering, education and enforcement—and Raval recommended that Vermont agencies such as VTrans and the Vermont Highway Safety Office lead education and outreach while law enforcement provide investigatory support and data for any follow-up report.

No votes were taken on the amendment during the hearing. Committee members asked for further study and noted existing municipal ordinances in some Vermont cities that already permit variants of the Idaho stop.

Ending: The committee recessed after hearing testimony and invited further study and input; Raval said law-enforcement training and statewide education would be necessary if the Legislature changes the statute.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Transportation - 2025-04-30 - 9:47AM","oneSentenceSummary","A House Transportation Committee amendment that would let bicyclists treat stop signs and flashing reds as yields when no other traffic is present prompted mixed reactions; the Vermont State Police described enforcement and investigation challenges and recommended statewide education and clear definitions limited to human-powered cyclists.","taxTitle","Transportation, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Committees, Legislative , Vermont","taxId",35155,"location","Vermont","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6256130,"Committee hears safety, enforcement concerns as bill would allow 30% window tint",841,1639000,2480000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3159297-849fbc86a07b4002f8e95a12c97108cf&start=1639&end=2480","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3159297-849fbc86a07b4002f8e95a12c97108cf/thumbnail_1639000.jpg","/articles/6256130/Vermont/Committee-hears-safety-enforcement-concerns-as-bill-would-allow-30-window-tint","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6256130-4b04c0bd1417c6e8a2584691d0bc2b5d/orig.mp4?Expires=1775512891&Signature=ZjN3g8GFlo9VQ5tu7iQrWc1ZR242QHsUsSQ-eqAJqhmn8uZwZQZxZY4rl3IRLWWYmJB5qrzw6Q~S6oS6n~BpqEx3b89SDwiK3yTbrywQyargu-7Owj7uOk3s48U2KCryI22EzNhV9OvMT9EZte1bhXsv-aV-3cpx6JWKOi~zrN8i5kv1P2the8bAykUAxbp27VLSosGMNASL3na2r5JUKkoB109FrdzK8vEU-FTgagWTTY~WN4hLU~19X-XzOby~9XveNTwDTJUTuLrpj6VO55yZKqx2--8ls8-QaDjGOhAOAIX6Hl900srA9XZcuxuNT~h8DXywaXeYzF1OD72M5w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lieutenant Paul Raval of the Vermont State Police told the House Transportation Committee on April 30 that the S.123 miscellaneous motor-vehicles bill’s proposed 30% allowable window tint would create enforcement and safety trade-offs for police and inspection stations.

The testimony focused on three problems, Raval said: (1) safety for drivers and officers when very dark tint limits visibility, (2) the cost and calibration burden of devices needed to measure tint reliably in court, and (3) inconsistent results when inspection stations warn drivers but do not fail vehicles for tint while police issue citations later.

Raval, executive officer of the State Police special operations unit, described tint as an “operational safety issue” even if not a mechanical defect. “If you have a certain level of window tint, you have to roll your window down to see,” he said, adding that officers have stopped vehicles where the driver told them they needed to roll the window down to be visible. He said that makes vehicle stops longer and can increase officer exposure during traffic stops.

Raval told the committee that law enforcement uses handheld tint meters to measure visible light transmission, and that a reliable, calibrated meter costs roughly $150 to $250 each. “For state police alone, for us to buy a reliable tint meter system, it's somewhere between 150 to $250 per meter for 200 troopers. So we're looking at 40 to $50,000,” he said, noting that annual calibration and training add ongoing cost.

Beyond equipment cost, Raval said the state faces a fairness and consistency problem: inspection stations issue safety stickers after mechanical inspections but are not intended to fail vehicles for non-mechanical issues. Under current practice, some inspection paperwork warns drivers that tint may violate Title 23 even if the vehicle passed inspection; drivers then “roll the dice” and sometimes receive tickets after leaving the station. “How can we say you’re good to go, but you’re not good to go?” he asked.

Raval said the committee previously settled on a 30% visible light transmission (VLT) threshold (often described as “30% tint” or “70% of light transmitted”) as a compromise but warned that proving a violation in court will require reliable meters and uniform procedures. “If it turned out it cannot be, this person's tried 4 or 5 days maybe to find a station that has one and someone's there,” he said of proposed centralized testing at barracks, and he cautioned that many rural barracks are lightly staffed.

Committee members raised alternatives and equity questions. Representative Holland said she was surprised by how much tint can reduce visibility at dusk; Representative McCoy demonstrated that most aftermarket window film can be peeled off, and other members suggested limiting allowable tint to factory-installed levels only. Representative Casey and others questioned who should pay for equipment and calibration and noted the Department of Public Safety’s limited outreach capacity.

Raval suggested that if the Legislature adopts an acceptable VLT level, the Vermont Highway Safety Office or Department of Motor Vehicles might be better placed to lead public education and the required reporting than the State Police, which are organized for enforcement rather than statewide education campaigns. He also repeated that reverting to a strict ban would be the simplest enforcement approach: “When it was just illegal altogether... I don't need a tint meter. I'm not delaying you any longer on the side of the road long enough to write you a ticket,” he said.

No formal action or vote on S.123 occurred during the hearing; the committee moved on to other amendments after discussion.

The committee heard cost and enforcement trade-offs that lawmakers will have to weigh if they accept a statutory VLT limit and create new compliance, testing and outreach responsibilities.

Ending: The committee took no vote on S.123 at the hearing and moved to consider a separate amendment on bicycle rules. Raval said the highway-safety office or DMV could lead outreach and reporting if the committee sets a VLT standard in statute.","Vermont State Police told the House Transportation Committee that a proposal in S.123 to authorize 30% window tint raises operational safety concerns, enforcement challenges and equipment costs, and that outreach and data collection might be better handled by highway-safety offices than by troopers.","actionData","errors"]

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House panel debates bill to let bicyclists treat stop signs as yield when no vehicles present; police urge education

Committee hears safety, enforcement concerns as bill would allow 30% window tint