Motorized-scooter bill derailed by ambiguity

Lawmakers killed a bill Tuesday that would have required parental supervision for children operating motorized scooters.

HB208 would have made it illegal for children under the age of 8 to navigate one of the vehicles unless they were within view of a parent or guardian.

Rep. Brad Dee, R-Washington Terrace, was hoping to clarify the current law's meaning of direct parental supervision, but ambiguity led to the bill's failure.

Dee's proposal to define parental supervision as "direct line of sight" monitoring caused problems for many lawmakers on the House Transportation Standing Committee.

"This is a bill that doesn't really do much for me, and it seems unenforceable. I can't vote for this bill," said Rep. John Dougall, R-American Fork.

Dee said he plans on consulting those who helped draft the bill before deciding on whether to reintroduce the legislation at next year's session.