An Act To Amend Title 21 Of The Delaware Code Relating To Motorized Scooters.
Summary
HB266 amends Delaware’s motorized scooter law to create an exception to the existing ban on rental low-speed motorized scooters. Under current law, low-speed motorized scooters may not be operated as part of a rental service. This bill changes that rule so a municipality with a population of 30,000 or more may authorize scooter rentals by local ordinance or other regulation.
In practical terms, the bill gives larger cities and towns local control to decide whether dockless or other rental scooter programs can operate within their borders. It does not require any municipality to allow rentals; it simply permits them to do so if local officials choose and adopt the necessary rules.
Impact
The bill narrows the statewide prohibition in Title 21, Section 4198Q(h) by adding a municipal carveout for larger municipalities. As a result, the state law would still generally prohibit rental low-speed motorized scooters, but cities and towns meeting the population threshold could opt in through local ordinance or regulation. The affected parties include scooter rental companies, municipal governments, riders, and local transportation or code-enforcement officials.
Sentiment
The voting history shows strong bipartisan support and no recorded opposition, with unanimous or near-unanimous passage in both chambers. The bill’s synopsis frames it as a local-option measure rather than a broad statewide expansion, suggesting the proposal was viewed as a limited, practical adjustment to existing scooter policy. The absence of committee testimony in the provided record also suggests little visible controversy in the available materials.
Contention
The main policy issue is local control versus a statewide ban. Supporters appear to favor allowing larger municipalities to decide whether rental scooters fit their transportation needs, while the bill preserves the default prohibition elsewhere. Any potential concerns would likely center on safety, sidewalk clutter, enforcement, and whether rental scooter programs should be limited to larger municipalities with more capacity to regulate them, but no explicit opposition is reflected in the vote record provided.