Latest news with #WestLivaudais
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘Common sense': Oregon House considers bill to make wheelchair repairs much easier
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – The Oregon House Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection is taking up a bill aimed at making it easier to fix wheelchairs for those who rely on them. The current system forces people to contact their Assistive Technology Professional, occupational therapist, or physical therapist in order to get permission to fix their chair. 'Completely ghosted us': PNW customers detail financial losses, unfinished jobs tied to local contractor This means that when a wheelchair breaks in Oregon, the user has to go through a lengthy process to get it repaired, and that can leave users stranded or bedridden for weeks at a time. Activists like West Livaudais, the executive director of , say would change that. 'And what this bill would allow us to do is have access to third-party providers that have the parts, have the knowledge and the tools to fix our chairs or we ourselves could do that and not have to wait weeks or months to get simple repairs,' Livaudais said. Oregon man imprisoned for killing goat with 'no remorse' Under SB 550, customers and independent shops would get the same access to repair resources as authorized repair shops. 'It's common sense and it sends the power back to Oregonians who depend on wheelchairs and other mobility devices,' Sen. Janeen Sollman (D-Washington County) said in an earlier statement. 'I don't want anyone waiting weeks or months for equipment to be fixed, or spending way more than necessary on a repair that could be done at home or at a local shop.' The bill was introduced and in February. If it passes the House, it will head the Gov. Tina Kotek's desk. Stay with KOIN 6 News as we continue to follow this story. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘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.' 50 years later, siblings murders still haunt Estacada 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. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
