STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1338

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 715

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, to which was referred H.B. No. 715, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LOW-SPEED ELECTRIC BICYCLES,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to include low-speed electric bicycles in the definition of "bicycle" for purposes of county vehicular taxes, highway safety laws, statewide traffic code, and bicycle laws.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation, City and County of Honolulu Department of Transportation Services, Ebikes Hawaii, Bicycle Product Suppliers Association, PeopleForBikes, Pedego Electric Bikes Maui, four individuals, and several form letters.

 

     Your Committee finds that electric bicycles are becoming an increasingly important form of transportation and a more significant component of the bicycle industry.  This measure is intended to statutorily recognize that electric bicycles are a type of bicycle and subject to the same laws as other bicycles.

 

     Your Committee understands the concern regarding the use of low-speed electric bicycles on sidewalks and notes that the speed of these electric bicycles may pose a potential safety hazard when used on sidewalks in areas where there are pedestrians and other non-motorized users.

 

     Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Excluding low-speed electric bicycles from the definitions of:  "moped" in chapters 249, 286, and 291C, Hawaii Revised Statutes; "motor vehicle" in chapters 249, 286, and 291C, Hawaii Revised Statutes; and "vehicle" in chapters 249 and 286, Hawaii Revised Statutes;

 

     (2)  Specifying that low-speed electric bicycle riding is prohibited on all sidewalks; and

 

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 715, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 715, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection,

 

 

 

________________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair