DELAWARE COUNTY, PA – June 12, 2026 – As the one-year anniversary of the e-scooter crash that killed 12-year-old Ridley Middle Schooler Abigail “Abby” Gillon approaches, Senator Tim Kearney (D-Delaware) condemned continued Senate inaction on Abby’s Law (SB 1008), the bipartisan bill he introduced last summer that has sat stalled in the Senate Transportation Committee for months.
Abby Gillon was critically injured on June 14, 2025, and died two days later on June 16. This Sunday marks one year since the crash; Tuesday marks one year since her passing. Yet the legislation written in her name—a straightforward bill establishing basic statewide safety rules for privately owned e‑scooters that has received months of input from transportation stakeholders and local officials—has not been given a vote by Senate leadership.
For Abby’s family, the lack of progress is painful.
“What does it take?” asked Abby’s mother, Lori Kralle. “How many children have to be hurt before something changes?” Her brother and Abby’s uncle, Ron Kralle, added: “We’ve shared Abby’s story again and again. It’s devastating to see nothing happen while kids keep getting injured.”
“Abby’s Law is ready. It’s bipartisan. It’s been negotiated in good faith with Senate leadership and shaped by months of conversations with families, law enforcement, and transportation stakeholders,” said Senator Kearney. “The growing attention to e-scooter safety makes the Senate’s continued inaction even harder to justify. There is no reason this bill should still be sitting in committee. The Senate should bring it forward and give it the vote it deserves.”
Growing Statewide Attention — and Renewed Focus on E-Scooter Safety
On Monday, June 15, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives held a public hearing on e-scooters, featuring testimony from the insurance industry and shared-scooter companies. While the hearing focused on shared-scooter programs and discussions about insurance considerations, it underscored a broader truth: Pennsylvania’s laws have not kept pace with how e-scooters are being used.
“I’m grateful the House is taking this issue seriously enough to hold a public hearing,” Kearney said. “It shows there is real, statewide recognition that our laws haven’t kept up with how e‑scooters are being used. The Senate should match that urgency by moving Abby’s Law. We owe it to Abby—and to every family in this Commonwealth—to act.”
The hearing took place at 10:00 AM in the Capitol’s Irvis Office Building.
Pennsylvania Law Has Not Kept Pace
E-scooters have rapidly proliferated across Pennsylvania, marketed as fun, lightweight devices and sold widely online and in big-box stores—often without clear warnings that they are not legal to operate on public streets or sidewalks. As prices have dropped, more children and teens have begun using them in busy commercial corridors and on heavily traveled roads where a single mistake can be catastrophic.
“It shouldn’t take another tragedy for the state to act,” said Lori Kralle. “Kids are out there every day on these devices, and they deserve basic safety rules that could save lives.”
Abby’s Law establishes a uniform statewide framework for private e‑scooter use—including a 20‑mph speed limit, a minimum riding age of 16, and helmet requirements for older teens—and fills long‑standing gaps in Pennsylvania’s Vehicle Code, providing clear, consistent rules for families, riders, and law enforcement.
A Year Later, Families Are Still Waiting
With the anniversary of Abby’s crash and passing occurring in the coming days, the need for action is unmistakable. The House is examining e-scooter safety in a public forum; the Senate can take the next step by moving Abby’s Law out of committee and onto the floor for a vote.
“Kids are riding e-scooters every day with no rules, no safeguards, and no clarity for parents or law enforcement,” said Senator Kearney. “I appreciate the House Transportation Committee bringing daylight to this issue. Now we need action in the Senate.”
There is cautious optimism that the bill could be reconsidered when the Senate returns in late July. Residents who support moving Abby’s Law forward are encouraged to contact their state senator and representative. Public safety should not wait another year while preventable injuries—and deaths—continue.
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