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Hi Friends,
I hope you are staying cool this summer in Central Oregon. It’s been great to be back in Deschutes County post-Legislative Session. I’ve been busy this summer working on potential legislation around electric bikes (e-bikes), attended the Legislative Energy Horizons Institute in collaboration with the University of Idaho, PNWER, and the U.S. Department of Energy, and finally saw Barbie.
E-Bike safety has become a big issue in Central Oregon as its usage has grown in popularity. We have received a lot of feedback about kids, and people of all ages, not following the rules of the road and cars not being aware of bikes on the street. We have also received many emails about “near misses” between bikes and cars! So scary. Councilor Perkins and I hosted a round table on July 18th to discuss e-bike safety and possible legislation, education, and infrastructure changes.
Here are some details on how it’s been going:
Going into the meeting - we knew that the last e-bike laws put into place in 1997 were unclear, especially because so much has changed with e-bike technology in the past 25 years. The statute was unclear if you needed to be 16 to ride an e-bike and there has been no authority to cite riders under 16.
At the meeting, I proposed a new structure to clarify the statute, based on Class 1, Class 2, and Class 3 bikes.
However, this morning I talked to our Legislative Legal Council and she visited the archives and listened to the hearings from 1997. It’s absolutely clear that the intent of the statute was to restrict the riding age to 16. When the law as written is foggy, we look to the legislative record to clear things up.
We as a community will need to have a lot more discussions to decide what we want this model to look like. Central Oregon is at the forefront and we are really leading this discussion. Whatever changes we may or may not make, it is clear: as of today you must be 16 to ride any class of electric bicycle.
Let me know what you think? Is this a legislative task to take on? Is it a city issue? Let me know your thoughts.
LEHI Conference: I was honored to be one of 40 legislators and the governor’s energy staffers to be selected to go to LEHI (Legislative Energy Horizons Institute) in Richland, Washington at the National Lab. It was four very intense days and I am excited to bring back what I learned to the Oregon Legislature.
My big takeaway from the Conference and Legislative Session in general, is that every decision we make as lawmakers is a tradeoff, very few things are zero-sum.
This was highlighted in a game we played - we built an energy plan based on the state of Washington’s climate rules. I was on a team with Senator Golden and we took the gold (well, we tied) because our price was the lowest and met all the goals - but our emissions were higher. The reason our emissions were higher is because we didn’t use nuclear energy. It’s not permitted in Oregon.
Check out this article from Ezra Klein in the New York Times: Opinion | Two Theories of What I’m Getting Wrong - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
The Barbie Movie
I went into the Barbie movie expecting just a fun and lighthearted movie with Margot Robbie, instead, it was a pink stunner on womanhood, motherhood, and being human in this complicated world, all while being cheeky and visually perfect.
If you’re a history nerd like me, check out the story of Ruth Handler, daughter of Jewish immigrants who created Barbie and the company Mattel. The History Chicks did a great podcast: Listen Here.
Enjoy the rest of July, and expect a monthly newsletter from my office until the next Legislative Session. Below, please find some helpful community resources and information.
Take care,
Emerson
State Representative Emerson Levy
House District 53
Community Resources and Information
Deschutes County Fair & Rodeo: Wednesday, August 2 - Sunday, August 6, 2023
Central Oregon’s largest annual event returns next week! Get your tickets and find more information here.
Stay Safe During Wildfire Season:
The PACT Act and VA Benefits: The PACT Act expands VA health care and benefits for veterans exposed to Burn Pits, Agency Orange, Radiation, and other toxic substances. This law helps provide generations of veterans—and their survivors—with the care and benefits they’ve earned and deserve. While there is no deadline to apply for PACT Act-related benefits, there is urgency. Most Veterans and survivors who apply for benefits or submit an “Intent to File” by August 9, if granted, will have their benefits backdated to August 10th of last year. Visit VA.gov/PACT for a one-stop shop to learn about and apply for PACT Act-related care and benefits. You can also apply by calling 1-800-MYVA411.
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1453
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE, H-486, Salem, Oregon 97301
Email: Rep.EmersonLevy@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/levye
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