Bill to legalize, regulate and restrict who can ride e-scooters passes state House

Love them or hate them, electric scooters are one step closer to being a legal and regulated means of transportation in Pennsylvania.

The state House on Tuesday approved legislation that would place restrictions, including an age limit, on the use of the two-wheeled micro-mobility devices. It would also allow Pittsburgh, Scranton and more than 50 other cities to establish e-scooter sharing programs.  It passed by a 176-27 vote and heads to the Senate for consideration.

E-scooters are currently illegal in the commonwealth. That hasn’t slowed their widespread adoption as children’s toys and as a way for commuters to get to work and back.

Rep. Emily Kinkead (D-Allegheny) introduced the bill after a pilot micro-mobility program in Pittsburgh expired. Its abrupt end left many who relied on the scooters to get around the city’s hilly neighborhoods stranded and about 40 people unemployed.

Kinkead said the measure would give cities the option of allowing scooter sharing programs, giving people “access to a micro mobility option that is available across the country.”

It would also address common criticism of the devices, she said. 

“What it also does is puts reasonable restrictions on private e-scooters, so people are no longer riding them on sidewalks, so that children are no longer riding them,” Kinkead said.

The bill would require e-scooter riders to be at least 16 and limit the vehicles’ speed to 25 mph. It would also require riders under 18 to wear helmets, among other provisions. 

A violation of the proposed law would carry a $10 fine, although municipalities would be free to adopt their own ordinances with enhanced penalties.

Safety concerns surrounding the use of e-scooters by children were the impetus for a companion bill in the Senate sponsored by Sen. Tim Kearney (D-Delaware). Senate Bill 1008 did not advance out of the chamber’s Transportation Committee.

Rep. Jennifer O’Mara, a fellow Delaware County Democrat, said the community there was devastated by the death of 12-year-old Abby Gillon, who was struck by a car while riding an e-scooter with a friend in Aston Township. Both girls, neither of whom was wearing a helmet, were critically injured and Abby died of her injuries two days after the crash.

“I know my office heard from so many parents reaching out to us, asking for the guidelines and the rules, and they were astounded when I told them these aren’t even legal,” said O’Mara, who authored an amendment adding restrictions for young riders.

The bill requires sellers of e-scooters to provide notice of the proposed law and allows a vendor who violates the provision to be fined up to $1,000.

It also tasks PennDOT with developing educational materials on e-scooter use and assisting municipalities and police departments with enforcement of the law.