21-02-2025
‘Makes life a lot easier': Oregon bill that allows wheelchair users to make their own repairs moves forward
PORTLAND, Ore. () — Oregon lawmakers just passed a senate bill expanding wheelchair repair access. Without it, staying mobile and independent — especially in emergencies — would be harder. Now, there's just one more step before it becomes law.
West Livaudais has been in a wheelchair for over a decade after a life-changing accident left him paralyzed.
'It's a heavy thing to process and to metabolize and it took time,' he said.
West said the he thinks the passage of Senate Bill 550 would make 'life a lot easier for a lot of people.'
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The bill would empower wheelchair users to fix their own chairs or potentially use bike shops to serve as third-party repair centers. West said this would make the lives of people in wheelchairs easier because they often face repair delays and expensive costs because manufacturers block access to parts, tools and repair information.
'The biggest thing is just access to more information,' said Tyler Stolt, a former bike mechanic who now leads monthly wheelchair maintenance workshops hosted by the . 'You shouldn't have to get your doctor's approval to replace a bearing on a wheelchair that's already been set up for you.'
The OSCI was started by Livaudais after a truck hit him in Guatemala in 2013. The accident left him seriously hurt and with a permanent disability after a hospital infection caused swelling in his spine.
West described the process of keeping his wheelchair up and running 'a nightmare honestly, it's really challenging.'
'When that breaks down, everything is on hold and it has an emotional effect, too' West said. 'I am reminded of how disabled I am without my wheelchair.'
Next, the bill moves to the Oregon House of Representatives for a vote. If it passes there, it will head to the governor's desk to be signed into law. We'll keep you posted.
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