Many clad in neon neoprene, bicycle enthusiasts rallied on Capitol Hill Tuesday in support of legislation they believe will make them more visible on the road and in the law.

Rep. Roz McGee, D-Salt Lake, was asked to sponsor the bill after Salt Lake City resident Josie Johnson was struck from behind and killed while riding her bike up Big Cottonwood Canyon this past September. Johnson was wearing a helmet and brightly colored clothing at the time of her death.

HB49 would further define "safe distance," which is already written in state code referencing vehicles overtaking bicyclists on the roads. It would require vehicles to allow cyclists a specific distance of three feet while overtaking the bicycle and to maintain that distance until safely past the rider.

"This is not the first time for bicycle safety in Utah law," McGee said. "Right here in our code book, it talks about the operations of bicycles. Bicyclists have responsibilities for safety on the road as well as motorists. We just want cyclists to have an even chance of using the roadways in Utah."

William Fails of Beaver County was also killed last year while riding on Utah's roads.

"Numerous other Utah cyclists were also injured in such accidents or forced from the road by motorists who were unable or unwilling to provide the bike space while passing," said University of Utah professor John Weis.

Weis said the three-foot distance required in the bill will help to educate the motoring public and cyclists.

"The total purpose of this bill is to save lives and prevent injuries," he said.

Jason Bultman of the Salt Lake County Bicycle Advisory Group said he was deeply affected by the cyclist deaths in Utah last year. Bultman has been hit by a motorist while riding his bike, but he said such an event is rare.

"The guy that hit me wasn't looking for bicyclists, because nobody ever rides 33rd South," he said.

HB49 would provide the grounds for educating the public who choose to use Utah's roads on how to use them safely, Bultman said.

Malcolm Campbell, a member of the Bonneville Bicycle Touring Club, pleaded with lawmakers to "take this law seriously."

"It's here to help people, it's here to help communities and it's here to help safety," he said. "Just being a cyclist doesn't make us guilty of a capital crime worthy of death."

As proposed in the bill, failure to comply would be a class C misdemeanor.

The bill passed out of committee unanimously Tuesday. It is expected to hit the House floor sometime next week. If it passes the House, it will then move on to the Senate for approval.

McGee said the bill seems to have an "excellent chance" for success in this year's legislative session.

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E-mail: wleonard@desnews.com