Policy and Legislation
Families for Safe Streets PDX advocates for policies and legislation that can prevent traffic deaths and serious injuries. We focus on systemic changes that make our transportation system safer and reduce reliance on every individual making the right decision every time.
Below are some of the state and federal policies we currently support.
Oregon Policy and Legislation
Intelligent Speed Assistance
Speed is a major factor in the severity of traffic crashes. Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) is vehicle technology that can detect when a driver exceeds a speed limit. Passive ISA systems alert the driver, while active systems can limit a vehicle's speed.
Families for Safe Streets PDX supports the use of active ISA as a targeted intervention for drivers who repeatedly engage in dangerous or excessive speeding. Similar approaches have been adopted in several U.S. jurisdictions, demonstrating the potential for ISA to provide an alternative to relying solely on license suspension and other traditional penalties.
We believe Oregon should consider ISA as part of a comprehensive strategy to address the most dangerous speeding behavior and prevent fatal and serious-injury crashes.
Learn more about Intelligent Speed Assistanc:
Read the Stop Super Speeders White Paper
Download our ISA one-page overview
Watch American Walks' Webinar ‘How Technology can Stop Super Speeders'
SB 1542 - Measure What We Drive
2026 Oregon Legislative Session FSS PDX position: Support
Families for Safe Streets PDX supports greater transparency and accountability in how Oregon chooses and funds transportation projects.
SB 1542 would direct the Oregon Transportation Commission to develop a 10-year capital investment plan and a methodology for scoring and ranking transportation projects. The legislation would require consideration of factors including safety and infrastructure condition and would expand the transportation information made available to the public.
FSS PDX supports a transportation investment process that allows decision-makers and the public to better understand how proposed projects contribute to Oregon's safety and transportation goals.
Current status: In Senate Committee on Transportation. Status last reviewed: September 2026.
SB 1543 Guardrails for Good Governance
2026 Oregon Legislative Session FSS PDX position: Support
Transportation safety depends not only on individual projects but also on responsible management of the public resources available to maintain and improve Oregon's transportation system.
SB 1543 would require the Oregon Transportation Commission to develop a debt-financing management policy for highway projects and would require commission review before the Oregon Department of Transportation requests the issuance of bonds. The legislation also proposes changes to the membership of the Oregon Transportation Commission.
FSS PDX supports greater transparency and oversight of transportation debt so that Oregon can make informed decisions about both current investments and future transportation needs.
Current status: In Senate Committee on Transportation. Status last reviewed: September 2026.
Federal Legislation
Sarah Debbink Langenkamp Active Transportation Safety Act
FSS PDX position: Support
Sarah Debbink Langenkamp was a U.S. diplomat, wife, and mother who was killed while bicycling in Bethesda, Maryland, in 2022, shortly after she and her family had been evacuated from Ukraine.
The Sarah Debbink Langenkamp Active Transportation Safety Act is intended to make it easier for communities to address dangerous gaps in walking and bicycling networks. Among its provisions, the legislation would allow Highway Safety Improvement Program funds to be used as the local match for certain projects funded through the Transportation Alternatives Program.
The legislation was reintroduced in the current Congress as S. 944 and H.R. 2011.
Families for Safe Streets PDX supports efforts to make federal safety funding more accessible for projects that protect people walking, bicycling, and using other forms of active transportation.
Learn more about the Sarah Debbink Langenkamp Active Transportation Safety Act and the Leaguue of American Bicyclists urging the federal government to act.
Legislation changes frequently. Bill descriptions and status information on this page are provided as a general overview. Follow the official legislative links for the most current bill text, amendments, hearings, and status.