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The GW Hatchet

AN INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SERVING THE GW COMMUNITY SINCE 1904

The GW Hatchet

Serving the GW Community since 1904

The GW Hatchet

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D.C. Council passes new electric vehicle restrictions in legislation

Students+who+receive+Pell+Grants+or+federal+aid+for+food+can+now+ride+one+of+the+six+scooter+brands+for+free.
File Photo by Camille Desanto | Assistant Photo Editor
Students who receive Pell Grants or federal aid for food can now ride one of the six scooter brands for free.

The D.C. Council passed a bill Tuesday featuring a package of regulations for scooter usage and electric vehicle management across the District, DCist reported.

The report states the bill includes a requirement that all scooters in D.C. be locked to racks or other docking stations while retaining at least three feet of walking space on sidewalks by October 2021. The bill stipulates that city officials must construct 200 racks a year until 2025 and cap the number of electric mobility devices in the city to 20,000.

A $150 fine will be levied for those who ride electric vehicles under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and a $125 fine will be levied for tampering with the devices, the report states. The Council’s legislation also lays out several communication improvements like a 24-hour hotline for complaints and free virtual education for local riders, according to DCist.

DCist reported that council members also barred bikes and scooters from being placed anywhere within a 300-foot radius of elementary and middle schools and senior wellness centers unless a Metro station is nearby. Among other provisions, the report states scooter companies are recommended to attain permits and abide by several “maintenance requirements” like public property damage deposits, and each ward in the city must carry a set percentage of electric vehicles.

The Council’s bill comes two years after the District Department of Transportation released a set of regulations that lowered speed limits for e-bikes to 20 mph and scooters to 10 mph.

Mayor Muriel Bowser, who can pass the legislation into law, will now review the bill, DCist reported.

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