HB1564 revises Hawaii’s traffic and vehicle code to create a more detailed regulatory framework for electric bicycles, electric micro-mobility devices, high-speed electric devices, mopeds, and electric motorcycles. The bill defines class 1, class 2, and class 3 electric bicycles; defines “electric micro-mobility device” and “high-speed electric device”; and updates the definition of “bicycle” to include electric bicycles. It also establishes safe-riding rules for e-bikes, including requiring wheels to remain on the ground, prohibiting stunts and unsafe riding, and authorizing the Department of Transportation and counties to adopt additional rules.
The bill also imposes registration and consumer-information requirements. Beginning December 31, 2026, electric bicycles would need permanent labels showing class, top assisted speed, and motor wattage, and sellers would have to post signage, provide informational pamphlets, and disclose whether a bike is legal for use on roads, sidewalks, or bike lanes, along with applicable registration, equipment, helmet, and age requirements. The bill authorizes DOT administrative fines for noncompliance with these labeling and disclosure rules.
HB1564 further restricts where certain devices may be used. It prohibits high-speed electric devices from public roadways, bike lanes, paths, and similar public areas; bars mopeds and electric motorcycles from bicycle lanes and paths; and updates sidewalk rules so class 1 and class 2 electric bicycles may be ridden on sidewalks in limited circumstances, while class 3 electric bicycles remain prohibited. It also raises the bicycle helmet age requirement from under 16 to under 18, requires helmets for younger riders of electric foot scooters and electric micro-mobility devices, and increases the minimum age for operating class 3 electric bicycles to 16, with supervised use allowed for some class 2 riders under 14.
The bill’s impact on state law is broad, touching multiple chapters of the Hawaii Revised Statutes, including vehicle registration, traffic rules, insurance-related provisions, and county authority over bicycle lanes and paths. It repeals the existing rule requiring moped drivers to use bicycle lanes, replaces references to “motor scooter” with “motor-driven cycle” in numerous statutes, and clarifies that nothing in the act limits mobility devices protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Overall, it would standardize terminology and expand state-level regulation of newer electric transportation devices while preserving county rulemaking authority in several areas.
The general sentiment reflected in the bill materials is supportive of tighter safety and consumer-protection regulation for emerging micromobility devices. The report title and description frame the measure as a safety and clarification bill, with emphasis on keiki safety, age limits, helmet use, and clearer labeling for consumers. No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate or opposition in the available materials.
Notable points of potential contention include the registration requirement for electric bicycles, the new labeling and point-of-sale disclosure obligations for sellers, and the restrictions on where high-speed electric devices, mopeds, and electric motorcycles may operate. The bill also changes long-standing rules for sidewalk use, helmet ages, and moped lane access, which could draw concern from riders, retailers, delivery platforms, and micromobility businesses. At the same time, the ADA savings clause suggests an effort to avoid conflict with disability-related mobility devices.
HB1564 would amend multiple provisions of Hawaii law to define and regulate electric bicycles and related devices more specifically, require registration of electric bicycles, impose labeling and seller-disclosure duties, and restrict the operation of high-speed electric devices, mopeds, and electric motorcycles in bicycle facilities and other public areas. It also raises helmet-age requirements, adjusts sidewalk-use rules, repeals the moped bicycle-lane mandate, and updates terminology across numerous statutes from “motor scooter” to “motor-driven cycle,” while preserving ADA mobility-device protections.
The available materials suggest the bill is generally framed as a safety-oriented and consumer-information measure, with support implied by its emphasis on youth protection, clearer device classification, and regulation of newer electric transportation devices. The report title’s reference to the Keiki Caucus and the bill’s detailed safety provisions indicate a protective, regulatory approach. No committee discussion transcripts or votes were provided, so there is no recorded evidence of formal support or opposition in the supplied context.
The most likely areas of contention are the new registration requirement for electric bicycles, the administrative fines and compliance obligations for manufacturers, distributors, and online sellers, and the restrictions on where certain devices may be ridden or operated. Riders and industry stakeholders may also object to the higher helmet age threshold, the limits on sidewalk use for class 3 electric bicycles, and the prohibition on mopeds and electric motorcycles in bicycle lanes and paths. Counties may have differing views on the extent of local rulemaking authority versus statewide uniformity, especially where the bill authorizes additional county regulation.