Gov. Pat Quinn has signed legislation into law that his office says will better protect bicyclists in the state.

Quinn signed the legislation Monday at Campbell Street Bicycle Shop in the Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights. League of Illinois Bicyclists executive director Ed Barsotti says the bills “will help both motorists and bicyclists do their parts in sharing our roadways safely.”

According to the group one bill will establish new penalties for motorists that drive recklessly or unnecessarily close to bicyclists. A second piece of legislation will create “Share the Road” Illinois licenses plates. The money from the license plates will fund education campaigns.

Quinn says the new laws will keep bicyclists safe and remind drivers to be alert for bicyclists

Pat Quinn just earned a vote for his re-election. This is amazing.

Watch some of the coverage of the Tour de France on Versus. Almost every commercial break there is an ad for RoadID, which is basically a dogtag for cyclists in case they get run over by a car and the paramedics need their info quickly. If that doesn’t hammer home the sad reality about how dangerous this sport is I’m not sure what will.

This law doesn’t really make me immediately feel much safer on the road, but at least we have something we can do about aggressive motorists. I will be recording license plates of offending vehicles and calling the police. Maybe once a few people have their systems shocked with hefty fines (or jail time if someone is injured) it will change driving behaviors and get people to share the road.

Here’s a synopsis of the bill as introduced with amendments:

Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that a person commits crowding or threatening a bicyclist when a person driving a motor vehicle recklessly drives the motor vehicle unnecessarily close to, toward, or near a bicyclist. Provides that every person convicted of crowding or threatening a bicyclist shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor if the violation does not result in great bodily harm or permanent disability or disfigurement to another. Provides that if a crowding or threatening a bicyclist violation results in great bodily harm or permanent disability or disfigurement to another, the person shall be guilty of a Class 4 Class 3 felony. Provides that a person commits Projecting or throwing missiles at bicyclists, a Class A misdemeanor, when a person projects or throws any missile (defined as any object or substance) at or against a bicyclist. Effective immediately.