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House committee gives Senate bill 2371 a ‘due pass’ after debate over signaling in roundabouts
Summary
The House Transportation Committee moved Senate Bill 2371 forward on a due-pass recommendation after supporters described roundabout signaling as unnecessary while sponsors argued for clarity and uniformity in driver behavior.
Senate Bill 2371, which would affect signaling behavior at roundabouts, received a due-pass recommendation from the House Transportation Committee after a public hearing and committee discussion.
Supporters told the committee the bill provides clarity for drivers. "It's a good bill," Representative Dave Koppelman said during committee discussion. Senator Klein, the bill sponsor in the Senate, told the committee roundabouts "seem to be moving the traffic" and are becoming more common in North Dakota, though he noted some drivers are unfamiliar with them.
The bill drew mixed anecdotal testimony about whether signaling in roundabouts is useful. Corey Peterson, former mayor of Horace, said his city's deputies "rarely" see anyone signaling in roundabouts and that, in his view, "signaling in a roundabout is a waste of time." Other committee members and witnesses described situations where larger vehicles, like semis, had difficulty maneuvering, and where roundabout design and size affect how drivers behave.
After public testimony and committee questions, Representative Koppelman moved a due pass on the bill; Representative Fralick seconded. The clerk called the roll and recorded affirmative votes from the members present. The motion passed and the committee named Representative Morton as the House carrier for the bill.
The discussion emphasized implementation and public education rather than changes to enforcement language. Committee members noted the bill's goal is to align driver expectations as roundabouts spread across the state. No amendment to the bill was recorded during the committee session.
Votes at a glance: The committee recorded a roll-call for the due-pass motion. Members recorded in the transcript as voting "Yes" included Chairman Ruby, Vice Chair Greenheck, Representatives Christianson, Dressler, Finley DeVille, Friedrich, Johnson, Casper, Koppelman, Mackey, Morton, Wazowski and Schatz. The clerk announced the role call complete and the motion passed.
The committee closed the hearing on Senate Bill 2371 and moved the bill forward to the next House step.
Ending: The committee did not record further amendments or additional directions during the hearing; Representative Morton volunteered to carry the bill to the House floor.
