Committee clears bill classifying pocket 'mini' motorcycles as motorcycles; removes parental criminal liability and requires parent notification

Representative Ashley Matthews presented HB 561 as a clarified, narrower version of a prior bill, saying the goal is to treat mini motorcycles and similar pocket bikes as motorcycles so law enforcement can apply existing tools and enforcement mechanisms. She noted prior drafts inadvertently swept in ebikes and scooters and that the current version is intended to be more precise.

Detective Angie Oldham of Unified Police (Kearns) testified about public-safety incidents involving groups of pocket-bike riders who post videos of fleeing officers, perform burnouts that damage parks and school grounds, and have been involved in crashes; she said one crash occurred at about 65 mph that caused severe road rash. ‘‘There was 1 kid that crashed at 65 miles an hour and has some serious road rash,’’ Oldham said, adding many juveniles do not wear helmets.

Committee members pressed on scope and penalties. Representative DeFe asked whether enforcement would be discretionary; the sponsor said many provisions are framed as a ‘‘may’’ so officers have tools but are not mandated to use them in all communities. Representative Peterson asked whether treating mini motorcycles as motorcycles changes penalties for juveniles; law enforcement testified that juvenile treatment and impoundment would follow existing code (for example, vehicles can be impounded and parents contacted) and that the goal was not to add new penalties for juveniles beyond existing vehicle code.

Keegan Mortenau of the Utah Association for Justice asked about an amendment that could expose parents to a class B misdemeanor and potential jail time; sponsor said that language would be removed in the committee amendment process if necessary, and the chair confirmed Amendment 2 would eliminate criminal liability for parents. Rachel Brooks, policy analyst with LRRGC, noted that different bills sometimes use conflicting definitions and that staff will reconcile definitions as bills move through the process.

Representative Thurston moved adoption of Amendment 1 (parent notification) and Amendment 2 (removing parental criminal liability); both amendments were adopted by voice vote and the committee passed HB 561 as amended unanimously.

The committee advanced HB 561 with tools for law enforcement to treat mini motorcycles as motorcycles, a mandatory parent-notification requirement and removal of criminal penalties that would have applied to parents under an earlier draft.