Senate Bill 10-11-33
| Bill ID: | 10-11-33 |
| Name: | Consideration of a Campus-?Wide Helmet Policy at the University of Maryland |
| Proposed: | 10/27/2010 |
| Sponsor: | Senate Executive Committee (SEC) |
| Proposal: | There is no law in the State of Maryland that requires drivers of motorized scooters to wear a helmet while operating them. Since these scooters can be operated on roadways with other vehicles and at speeds greater than most bicycles, safety is a factor. Many students use these vehicles as a means to get to class and student-athletes often use them to get across campus to the practice facilities on the north side of campus. A preliminary review by the University's Legal Office and the State Attorney General's Office concluded that the University has jurisdiction and control over our campus roads. Therefore, it is possible for the University to create a helmet policy if we deemed it to be appropriate. |
| Active? | No |
Status
| Status: | Completed |
| Completed On: | 11/02/2011 |
History
| Status: | Approved |
| Related Files: |
| Status: | Complete |
| Reviewer: | Senate |
| Received: | 2011-10-13 |
| Decision Date: | 2011-10-20 |
| Decision: | The Senate voted to approve the proposal. |
| Actions: | The Senate reviewed this recommendations at its October 20, 2011 meeting and voted to approve the report. |
| Next Step: | Presidential Approval |
| Related Files: |
| Status: | Complete |
| Reviewer: | Senate Executive Committee (SEC) |
| Received: | 2011-09-19 |
| Decision Date: | 2011-09-26 |
| Decision: | The SEC voted to place the report on the October 20, 2011, Senate meeting agenda for consideration. |
| Actions: | The SEC reviewed the recommendations and voted to forward the report to the Senate for review. |
| Next Step: | Senate Review |
| Related Files: |
| Status: | Complete |
| Reviewer: | Campus Affairs Committee |
| Received: | 2011-04-26 |
| Decision Date: | 2011-09-08 |
| Decision: | The committee voted to forward its recommendations to the SEC for consideration. |
| Actions: | On November 1, 2010 the Campus Affairs Committee was charged with Consideration of a Campus-Wide Helmet Policy. The Committee began its review of the charge at its December 7, 2010 meeting. The Committee met with representatives from the Department of Transportation (DOTS), the Legal Office, the Athletic Department, and Public Safety to discuss the implications of a campus-wide helmet policy. The Campus Affairs Committee held its annual Campus Safety Forum on February 22, 2011, which focused on traffic safety with special emphasis on motor scooter safety. This forum provided the campus community a chance to weigh-in on the issue of a helmet policy. Additionally, a survey was created to allow for further campus participation in the helmet policy discussion. On April 21, 2011 the Campus Affairs Committee sent a request to the SEC for an extension on the helmet policy charge. The Committee requested more time to consult on appropriate language for a new policy and to finalize its recommendations for implementation of the policy. The SEC granted the extension and requested the Campus Affairs Committee helmet policy survey remain open to allow more campus participation as the Committee continued their work. The Campus Affairs Committee Chair, Gene Ferrick, met with representatives from the Legal Office, DOTS, and Public Safety regarding the language and implementation of a potential helmet policy. The Legal Office advised that DOTS would be responsible for the control and flow of traffic on campus under University Policy VI-9.00, and as such should implement any helmet policy and be responsible for issuing the fines for persons not wearing a helmet on campus. Additionally, the new License Plate Recognition System which DOTS is using to photograph license plates for parking tickets could also be used to photograph scooter riders. The Campus Affairs Committee intends to recommend that protective headgear be required when operating or riding on a motor scooter or a moped on campus. The Director of the Department of Transportation Services, in consultation with the Campus Transportation Advisory Committee (CTAC), should establish and implement regulations and fines regarding the required use of helmets while operating or riding a motor scooter or moped on campus. The Campus Affairs Committee will finalize language of the policy and recommendations over the summer and submit a report at the beginning of the Fall 2011 semester. Additionally, the survey will remain open over the summer in order to collect more responses. The 2011-2012 Campus Affairs Committee met on September 8, 2011 to review the results of the survey and discuss the work and recommendation of the 2010-2011 committee. After thorough discussion, the 2011-2012 Campus Affairs Committee endorsed the work of the 2010-2011 committee and approved the recommendation that protective headgear be required when operating or riding on a motor scooter or moped on campus. |
| Next Step: | SEC Review |
| Related Files: |
| Status: | Complete |
| Reviewer: | Senate Executive Committee (SEC) |
| Received: | 2011-04-15 |
| Decision Date: | 2011-04-21 |
| Decision: | The SEC voted to grant the extension. |
| Actions: | The SEC reviewed the extension request at its April 21, 2011, meeting and voted to grant the extension. |
| Next Step: | Campus Affairs Committee Review |
| Related Files: |
| Status: | Complete |
| Reviewer: | Campus Affairs Committee |
| Received: | 2010-11-02 |
| Decision Date: | 2011-04-13 |
| Decision: | The committee voted to submit a request for extension. |
| Actions: | The committee reviewed the charge in the fall 2010 semester and held its annual safety forum in February 2011. This forum focused on transportation safety and the committee requested additional time to complete in recommendations. |
| Next Step: | SEC Review |
| Related Files: |
| Status: | Complete |
| Reviewer: | Senate Executive Committee (SEC) |
| Received: | 2010-09-20 |
| Decision Date: | 2010-10-27 |
| Decision: | The SEC voted to charge the Campus Affairs Committee with review of the proposal. |
| Actions: | During discussion of the Proposal to Review Appropriate Motor Scooter Use on Campus (Senate Doc. No. 10-11-17) at the committee's October 27, 2010 meeting, the SEC voted to charge the Campus Affairs Committee with considering a campus-wide helmet policy. |
| Next Step: | Campus Affairs Committee Review |