STAND. COM. REP. NO. 705

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1117

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1117, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to amend the State's laws regarding electric bicycles, electric motorcycles, and motor scooters.

More specifically, the measure:

(1) Renames, expands eligibility for, and increases the maximum rebate amounts provided by the Electric Bicycle and Electric Moped Rebate Program;

(2) Prohibits persons under fifteen years of age from riding certain electric bicycles;

(3) Raises the age for required helmet use from sixteen to eighteen years of age;

(4) Allows the use of electric bicycles on public sidewalks, subject to certain conditions;

(5) Prohibits electric motorcycles and mopeds from operating in bicycle lanes;

(6) Includes electric motorcycles in the State's insurance laws governing motorcycles and motor scooters; and

(7) Substitutes the term "motor-driven vehicle" for the term "motor scooter" throughout the Hawaii Revised Statutes.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Hawaii Bicycling League, Ulupono Initiative, PATH-People for Active Transportation Hawaii, and four individuals.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from one individual.

Your Committee finds that the amendments made by this measure will help support the use of sustainable transportation options by making the use of electric bicycles, electric mopeds, electric motorcycles, and other electric mobility devices safer and more affordable.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Amending the definition of "electric motorcycle" to conform to the existing definition of "motorcycle," as recommended in written comments from Ulupono Initiative;

(2) Prohibiting persons under eighteen years of age from operating electric motorcycles or motor-driven cycles;

(3) Adding new definitions for "motor-driven cycle," and

(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive edits for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1117, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1117, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair