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State law now treats fast two-wheeled e-bikes as motorcycles; Pasco will review local implications
Summary
A change in Washington state law reclassifies two-wheeled electric vehicles that can reach 20 mph without pedaling as motorcycles rather than bicycles; Pasco's workshop will include discussion of city ordinances and enforcement implications, including potential tickets for teens and supervision-related charges for guardians.
Warner said the council preview will include a look at state and city rules for e-bikes. She said that in Washington state, as of this summer, a two-wheeled electric vehicle that can go 20 miles per hour or faster without pedaling stops being treated as a bicycle and begins being treated as a motorcycle.
Warner warned listeners that the change has practical enforcement implications: teenagers riding high-powered e-bikes without a proper license could receive tickets, and guardians could face criminal charges for failure to supervise a minor under state law as summarized in the preview.
The preview did not provide the specific statutory citation or how the city plans to enforce the change locally; council discussion at the workshop is expected to cover relevant city ordinance differences and enforcement approaches.
