Prompted by a man whose ex-wife was schlepping their five-year-old son around on her motorcycle, Sen. Debbie Regala wants the state to require that kids be six years old -- or able to rest their feet on a bike's passenger foot pegs -- before riding on the back of a motorcycle.

The state already has similar laws for kids riding in cars. If they're younger than 6 -- or less than 60 pounds -- the child must be strapped into a car seat or booster seat.

"I shudder to think of a child who can't even reach the foot pegs riding on the back of a motorcycle," said Regala, D-Tacoma, "yet this is currently legal in Washington."

A hearing's slated for 3:30 p.m. Thursday in Olympia.

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