A trio of bills making their way through the Indiana Statehouse would require drivers to leave a 3-foot clearance when passing cyclists on the road.
The proposed legislation says motorists who do not give cyclists the three foot clearance would be committing a class C infraction and could be fined up to $500.
Rep. Edward Delaney, D-Indianapolis, authored House Bill 1233 for the Indiana House of Representatives, while Sens. Philip Boots, R-Crawfordsville, and Greg Taylor, D-Indianapolis, worked on Senate Bills 36 and 250.
The bills are similar to ordinances that were passed in Lafayette-area communities in June 2013. Twenty-three states across the country have adopted statewide safe passing laws, with 22 of them requiring a minimum clearance of 3 feet when passing a bicycle.
Bloomington-area cyclist Nick Hartman says the bills come as a welcome protective measure for riders, but Hartman says he worries about the law's effectiveness in certain areas of Monroe County.
"I think people will be a lot nicer," he says. "Out in the country, I think it's gonna be kind of a free for all. But you know, that is what that is."
The three bills had a first reading at the Statehouse and are currently up for committee.
A similar law was proposed in the Senate last year but was denied a hearing once it reached committee.