Ever wonder if you could get away with counting your dog as another car passenger in an HOV lane? Or, maybe you’re hoping your tinted windows are dark enough to hide the fact you’re all alone? A couple of lawmakers feel your pain; they want Colorado to ease up on what one of them calls a “punitive” requirement that at least three passengers ride in a car in a desginated “high-occupancy vehicle” lane in order to avoid a toll.

Republican state Sen. Ray Scott, of Grand Junction, and Democratic Rep. Steve Lebsock, of Thornton, are sponsoring House Bill 1348, which would roll back the minimum to two passengers for express / HOV lanes along Interstate 25 north of Denver. The three-passenger threshold has been in effect since Jan. 1, following a decision by the state Transportation Commission to up the ante for HOV travel.

Reached today for the backstory on the late-in-the-game bill (introduced just last week), Scott said the higher minimum is unreasonable and goes too far for most commuters’ needs.

“It’s a punitive plan to push people to public transit,” Scott said via text message. “It hurts empty nesters big time, i.e. the elderly. I’m not aware of other states that have done this.”

The proposal is making its debut in the House Local Government Committee this afternoon.