The practice of "lane splitting," riding a motorcycle between lanes of cars, is currently allowed only in California and Washington, D.C., but could soon be legalized in the state of Washington if a bill to reduce congestion becomes law.

House Bill 1176, sponsored by Rep. Jeff Morris (D-Anacortes), would allow motorcyclists to ride between lanes of stopped or slow-moving traffic, according to The News Tribune.

The practice is tolerated ? though not legally provided for ? in California, where it's seen as helping reduce traffic congestion, Morris said. Morris, who spends time in Southern California for work, said it's worth discussing legalizing it in Washington "because as you know, we have our own traffic congestion problems just short of Southern California."

But the Washington State Patrol is opposed to the bill, according to patrol spokesman Capt. Jeff DeVere. He told the committee that it would be difficult to set and enforce standards for appropriate speeds and conditions for lane splitting.

The committee also heard testimony on a bill that would allow motorcyclists to turn left against red lights at intersections controlled by sensors that fail to detect motorcycles. That bill, HB 1466, sponsored by Rep. Dennis Flannigan (D-Tacoma), would require motorcyclists to wait through a full cycle of lights before proceeding and would not exempt them from tickets if they run a red light not connected to a sensor. A similar measure was enacted in Tennessee last year.