Children 13 and younger would be banned from operating e-bikes and e-scooters across Ohio under a new bill introduced in the state Senate. The bill would standardize a patchwork of local rules already taking shape in Upper Arlington and neighboring cities.

State Sen. Bill DeMora, D-Columbus, introduced Senate Bill 477 on Monday, Oct. 12. State Rep. Eric Synenberg, D-Beachwood, plans to introduce a companion bill in the Ohio House in the coming weeks, the Ohio Capital Journal reported.

The legislation would require helmets for all e-bike and e-scooter riders and ban those under 18 from using high-powered Class 3 e-bikes. It would also cap speeds at 10 mph on shared-use paths and 5 mph on sidewalks and create a $25 state registration fee per device. Failure to register could result in a minor misdemeanor and a 30-day impound.

Ohio law currently sets no minimum age for Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes, which can reach about 20 mph. Class 3 e-bikes top out at 28 mph, and riders must already be at least 16 to operate them.

"It becomes increasingly difficult when every community has different rules, and riders may not know what requirements apply when they cross a line from one community to another," DeMora told the Ohio Capital Journal.

The bill arrives as Upper Arlington enforces what Spectrum News described as some of the strictest e-device rules in the state. Upper Arlington City Council approved a new ordinance that takes effect Wednesday, Nov. 4, requiring riders without a valid driver's license to complete a safety course through the Upper Arlington Police Division and obtain a city registration sticker, NBC4 reported. Violations can lead to a device being impounded, with a $150 recovery fee.

More than 90% of respondents to an Upper Arlington community survey called e-bikes and e-scooters a moderate or significant public safety concern, according to the city.

Worthington is also weighing its own rules. Its City Council introduced micromobility legislation on Sept. 14 that would set a minimum rider age of 14, an 8 mph sidewalk speed limit and helmet requirements for riders under 18, according to city records.

Lawmakers cited rising injury numbers in pushing the legislation. Children ages 11 to 14 accounted for nearly 40% of all pediatric e-bike and e-scooter injuries nationwide, according to U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission data cited by the Ohio Capital Journal. By mid-July, Akron Children's Hospital had already surpassed its total e-bike and e-scooter injury count for all of 2025, DeMora said.

Ohio lawmakers are on break until after the November election. Any bill that does not pass before the current General Assembly ends in December would have to be reintroduced. "In lame duck, all things are possible," DeMora told the Ohio Capital Journal.

Synenberg said he wants the regulations in place by spring, before e-bike and e-scooter use picks back up.

As we reported Monday, Franklin County leads Ohio in pedestrian crashes, a broader safety concern that overlaps with the e-bike debate on shared paths like the Olentangy Trail.

Residents can review Upper Arlington's e-bike rules at the city's Safe UA page.