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Entries tagged: National Council Of State Legislatures

New this week in the Alliance’s Online Resource Library…

• Allison Mannos of the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition worked with Adrian Leung in writing an insightful article on “Bicycling is for Everyone: Connections Between Cycling in Developing Countries and Low-Income Cyclists of Color in the U.S.” for Streetsblog. Definitely required reading for organizations looking to expand their advocacy efforts to underserved communities.

• Yes, it’s dense (and 200 pages!) but AASHTO and the National Conference of State Legislatures just released an information-packed report that offers an overview of state transportation governance and financing in all 50 states and provides a “rich diversity of approaches… to address states’ transportation challenges and effectively serve the public good within what often are complex intergovernmental arrangements.”

• Many members of Congress understand that America is dangerously addicted to oil. A House task force on livable communities just published a short paper that highlights the importance of sustainable transportation for America’s future and includes Safe Routes to School and Complete Streets as policy solutions.

• If you couldn’t attend our Mutual Aid Call on “Bringing More Women into the Movement” last week, you missed a great discussion. But don’t worry: Click here for a handy Tip Sheet and call recording (to be uploaded shortly).

• Bike sharing is all the rage and cities across North America are excited about bringing Bixi and B-cycle to their communities. Check out this positive analysis from the National League of Cities.

• Love ‘em or hate ‘em, PETA knows how to get attention for its campaigns. Get some insight into their strategies — for better or worse — in their handbook on Effective Advocacy.

• Many advocacy organizations — the Alliance included — print plenty of materials to promote events and trainings. Here’s a short list of eco- and employee-conscious online printers courtesy of Progressive Exchange in Washington, DC.

• Have you donated to the Alliance 15th Anniversary Campaign yet? We joined other organizations, like Adventure Cycling and the Palmetto Cycling Coalition, in using Razoo for our online fundraising effort — a site that just happens to be listed on the “Top 12 Online Fundraising Platforms for Donors & Non-Profits” from Mashable.com

• Skittish about an upcoming interview? Never been on the radio before? Listen to this podcast from ThirdCoast featuring Kevin Hardman, the executive director of the Wisconsin Bicycle Federation, who’s cool, calm and collected as he gives a great overview of his group’s advocacy efforts.

If you have resources to share with other Alliance members, please e-mail .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Have a great weekend!

The Lone Star State may be a Republican stronghold but BikeTexas proved once again this week that cycling crosses party lines.

On Wednesday morning, a fleet of bicyclists from both sides of the political spectrum departed the National Conference of State Legislatures’ Annual Summit in Louisville for a scenic, eight-mile tour through the Kentucky city.

The 6th Annual Bipartisan Ride — led by both Republican and Democratic legislators from Texas, Kentucky and Minnesota — included 23 senators and representatives from eight states.

“The NCSL ride gives legislators from Texas and around the country a chance to experience the joy of cycling, which is an excellent first step toward achieving our legislative goals,” Robin Stallings, Executive Director of BikeTexas, said in a press release.

Bike Texas inaugurated the ride back in 2005 and they’ve kept the tradition alive by bringing their fleet of bikes to subsequent NCLR Summits. Because the conference moves each year, Texas advocates partner with a local organization in the host city. This year, Bicycling for Louisville made the event bigger than ever, not only planning the route but also rallying more than a dozen expert cyclists to marshal the ride.

Click here to read more about BikeTexas and see photos from the Bipartisan Ride.