Oregon House approves e-bike rule updates, ‘Trenton’s Law,’ named for Bend teen killed in e-bike crash
Rep. Emerson Levy expects bill to pass Senate; second bill would create task force to study more changes
SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) – The Oregon House, on a 59-0 vote, has approved a bill that updates state laws regarding e-bikes and was named “Trenton’s Law” to honor a Bend teen who was killed while riding his e-bike last summer.
House Bill 4103, which was passed Tuesday and now goes to the Senate, modifies the definition of electric-assisted bicycles and adds definitions for Class 1, 2 and 3 e-bikes.
The original proposal said children under 16 could legally ride Class 1 e-bikes, but only those 16 and older could operate Class 2 and 3 e-bikes.
Levy told NewsChannel 21 on Wednesday that the Senate is likely to vote on the bill Friday or Monday as the “short” session moves quickly toward adjournment.
She said the bill will be carried by state Sen. Tim Knopp, R-Bend, “and we expect it to pass.”
Trenton Burger, 15, was killed last June while riding an e-bike on a sidewalk along Highway 20 in northeast Bend when a van turned right and struck and killed him. Efforts to avoid such tragedies in the future have gained momentum since.
The Oregon Capital Chronicle noted that Class 1 e-bikes only provide help when a rider is actively pedaling, and the motor stops at 20 mph. Class 2 e-bikes can be propelled without pedaling, but also have a maximum 20 mph speed. Class 3 e-bikes require pedaling, have a speedometer and top out at 28 mph.
The bill updates a 27-year-old law, but is scaled back from what originally was proposed, which would have allowed anyone to ride a Class 1 e-bike and made it a traffic violation for those under 16 to ride a Class 2 or 3 e-bike. As passed by the House, it would ban e-bikes to be ridden by anyone younger than 16 without a driver’s license or permit, while anyone over 16 could ride any class of e-bike.
Marilyn Fleener, Levy's chief of staff, told NewsChannel 21, "We wanted to expand access to Class 1 e-bikes to those under 16, but the Joint Committee on Transportation was unable to agree on enforcement mechanisms. Rep. Levy will be working on this in the interim and into 2025 to safely expand access to e-bikes."
It’s paired with a second bill, House Bill 4067, which would create a task force to recommend laws on e-bikes, scooters and mopeds by year’s end. It carries a $200,000 price tag and is awaiting consideration by the budget-writing Joint Ways and Means Committee, the Capital Chronicle reported.
