State Sen. Tim Kearney, D-Delaware, speaks during a Memorial Day service.

The death of a 12-year-old Delaware County girl is prompting a renewed effort to craft safety regulations for e-scooters.

State Sen. Tim Kearney, D-Delaware, said Tuesday he is planning to introduce Abby’s Law, legislation to create safety regulations for electric scooters. The legislation honors Abigail Gillon, a 12-year-old girl who passed away after an e-scooter accident in Aston, Pa., in June. On June14 Gillon and a friend were thrown from a single electric scooter into oncoming traffic as they entered the road. Both girls were hospitalized, and Gillon later passed away.

“As a member of the Senate Transportation Committee, and local community member, I remain committed to advancing thoughtful, forward-thinking policies that prioritize e-scooter safety equipment, including age requirements, and education for both users and motorists,” said Senator Kearney. “The devastating crash that took Abby’s life and left her friend critically injured underscores the need for our state laws to adapt to emerging technology like e-scooters that are widely popular but need guardrails to ensure they are safely integrated as a transportation option.”

Riders of some other motorized micromobility devices, like e-bikes, are subject to regulations including age requirements, maximum speeds, and more. However, because electric scooters are not street legal in Pennsylvania, there are no outlined rules for riding the devices. Kearney’s co-sponsorship memo says his legislation will recognize e-scooters as a regulated micromobility vehicle in the state’s Vehicle Code, establish safety requirements for operation and helmets based on age and create a public awareness campaign to educate riders and parents on the safe operation and riding of e-scooters.

“I am currently working with Abby’s family and other key stakeholders to develop this legislation to help ensure that no other family has to endure this kind of loss.” Kearney said.

It isn’t the only bill proposed this month dealing with e-scooters. State Sen. Devlin Robinson, R-Pittsburgh, is circulating a co-sponsorship memorandum for legislation that would amend state law to amend Title 75, the state law governing vehicles, to include electric low-speed scooters and apply state traffic laws governing bicycles to low-speed scooters. Robinson is basing his legislation on a scooter program begun in Pittsburgh that has resulted in nearly a million scooter trips by both city residents and tourists.

“In fact, the pilot program has been viewed as successful based on ridership citywide, including underrepresented communities that are not adequately served by public transportation,” Robinson said.

The lawmaker wants to allow cities that are Second Class, Second Class A or Third Class, which would include Warren, to authorize a low-speed scooter program. Local government approval would be required, with city governments able to create their own ordinances, policies and regulations for the safety, operation and management of low-speed scooters.

Robinson’s bill would be limited to small electric or human-powered scooters with either two or three wheels, handlebars and a floorboard.

The use of e-bikes and e-scooters has been discussed over the past couple of months by members of the Warren City Council after some city residents have complained about the devices being used on city sidewalks or being used improperly on city streets.