HB 486 Hawaii House · 2026 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 Dec 8, 2025

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What changed between versions

HB486 → HB486_HD1 · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill revision removes a proposal to ban electric bicycles from roads and shifts the focus to safety education and funding. It also significantly delays the effective date of the law from July 2025 to July 3000, effectively pausing enforcement of the new rules for nearly a century.

Scope change

The bill's scope changed from prohibiting electric bicycle operation on roadways to focusing solely on safety education and funding. The applicability of the new restrictions is delayed until July 3000.

ENFORCEMENT

Removed a provision that would have prohibited operating electric bicycles on highways and streets.

Removed a specific section defining penalties for unsafe electric bicycle operation.

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date of the Act from July 1, 2025, to July 1, 3000.

FISCAL

Modified the appropriation section to explicitly link funding to the required safety education program.

REQUIREMENT

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

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