NOTE:  This bill has been prepared for the signature of the appropriate legislative
officers and the Governor.  To determine whether the Governor has signed the bill
or taken other action on it, please consult the legislative status sheet, the legislative
      history, or the Session Laws.
      
      
      HOUSE BILL 09-1027
      
      
      BY REPRESENTATIVE(S) Rice, Fischer, Levy, Marostica, McFadyen,
      Merrifield, Primavera, Labuda, Priola, Ryden, Todd;
      also SENATOR(S) Gibbs, Williams.
      
      
      Concerning the duty of drivers to yield the right-of-way to
           transit buses entering traffic.
      
      
      Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
      
           SECTION 1.  Part 7 of article 4 of title 42, Colorado Revised
      Statutes, is amended BY THE ADDITION OF A NEW SECTION to read:
      
           42-4-713.  Yielding right-of-way to transit buses - definitions -
      penalty.  (1)  As used in this section, unless the context otherwise
      requires:
      
           (a)  "Public mass transit operator" has the same meaning as
      in section 43-1-102 (5), C.R.S.
      
           (b)  "Transit bus" means a bus operated by a public mass
      transit operator.
      
           (2)  Drivers of vehicles in the same lane of traffic and behind
      a transit bus shall yield the right-of-way to the bus if:
      
           (a)  The driver of the transit bus, after stopping to allow
      passengers to board or exit, is signaling an intention to enter a
      traffic lane; and
      
           (b)  A yield sign as described in subsection (3) of this section
      is displayed and illuminated on the back of the transit bus.
      
           (3)  The yield sign referred to in paragraph (b) of subsection
      (2) of this section shall:
      
           (a)  Warn a driver of a vehicle behind the transit bus that
      the driver is required to yield when the bus is entering a traffic
      lane; and
      
           (b)  Be illuminated when the driver of the transit bus is
      attempting to enter a traffic lane.
      
           (4)  This section does not require a public mass transit
      operator to install yield signs as described in subsection (3) of this
      section on transit buses operated by the public mass transit
      operator.
      
           (5)  This section does not relieve a driver of a transit bus
      from the duty to drive with due regard for the safety of all
      persons using the roadway.
      
           SECTION 2.  Act subject to petition - effective date.  This act
      shall take effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the
      ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly that is
      allowed for submitting a referendum petition pursuant to article V, section
      1 (3) of the state constitution, (August 5, 2009, if adjournment sine die is on
      May 6, 2009); except that, if a referendum petition is filed against this act
      or an item, section, or part of this act within such period, then the act, item,
      section, or part, if approved by the people, shall take effect on the date of
      the official declaration of the vote thereon by proclamation of the governor.
      
      
      
      
      ________________________________________________________
      Terrance D. Carroll                    Peter C. Groff
      SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE                     PRESIDENT OF
      OF REPRESENTATIVES                         THE SENATE
      
      
      
      
      
      
      ____________________________  ____________________________
      Marilyn Eddins                          Karen Goldman
      CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE                 SECRETARY OF
      OF REPRESENTATIVES                         THE SENATE
      
      
      
      
                  APPROVED________________________________________
      
      
      
      
      
                                    _________________________________________
                                    Bill Ritter, Jr.
                                    GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF COLORADO