HB 486 Hawaii House · 2025 Regular Session

RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.

Summary

Prohibits the removal of a manufacturer- or factory-installed speed limiting device from an electric bicycle. Requires the Department of Transportation to develop a traffic safety education program and a public awareness campaign. Appropriate funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Issues: ✓ Transportation

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Jan 17, 2025 Last action Feb 5, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

HB486 → HB486_HD1 · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was significantly rewritten to shift from a broad prohibition on electric bicycle operation on roadways to a focused approach targeting only the removal of speed-limiting devices. The new version removes the ban on riding e-bikes on roads, adds requirements for a traffic safety education program, and changes the effective date from July 1, 3000 to a more reasonable timeframe.

Scope change

The bill's scope narrowed from prohibiting all electric bicycle operation on roadways to only prohibiting the removal of manufacturer-installed speed limiting devices.

REQUIREMENT

Removed the prohibition on operating electric bicycles on highways, streets, roadways, or areas designated for motor vehicles.

Added a requirement for the Department of Transportation to develop a traffic safety education program and public awareness campaign about electric bicycle safety.

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date from July 1, 3000 to July 1, 2026 (with education program development due 20 days before the 2026 regular session).

FISCAL

Added an appropriation for funding the traffic safety education program and public awareness campaign for fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027.

DEFINITION

Added specific definitions for 'electric bicycle' and 'speed limiting device' to clarify the scope of the law.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 5, 2025

Committee

Reported from TRN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 166) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.

lower

Feb 4, 2025

Lower · Passed

The committee on TRN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Kila, Grandinetti, Kitagawa, La Chica, Miyake, Muraoka, Pierick; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Evslin; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Cochran.

lower

Jan 21, 2025

Committee

Referred to TRN, JHA, FIN, referral sheet 2

lower

Jan 21, 2025

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 17, 2025

Introduced

Pending introduction.

lower

2 primary · 0 co-sponsors