HB 2021 Hawaii House · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION.

Summary

Establishes safe riding behaviors for electric bicycles. Prohibits the operation of high-speed electric devices in certain locations. Establishes labeling and signage requirements for electric bicycles. Prohibits the operation of a moped or electric motorcycle in certain locations. Amends the definition of "bicycle" for purposes of county vehicular taxes. Defines "electric bicycle" in place of "low-speed electric bicycle". Authorizes the seizure of non-road-legal or nonconforming electric bicycles and high-speed electric devices. Defines "electric micro-mobility device" and requires the same regulations as electric foot scooters. Prohibits a person under the age of sixteen from operating a class 2 or class 3 electric bicycle without direct supervision. Authorizes a person to ride an electric bicycle on a sidewalk under certain circumstances. Prohibits a person from operating a bicycle or electric foot scooter under the age of eighteen without a helmet. Repeals the requirement that moped drivers use bicycle lanes. Substitutes the term "motor scooter" with the term "motor-driven cycle". (CD1)

Issues: ✓ Transportation

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Apr 2026

House Passage

Apr 2026

Senate Passage

Apr 2026

Signed into Law

Jul 2026

Introduced Jan 23, 2026 Signed Jul 15, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 5 comparisons

What changed between versions

HB2021_SD1 → HB2021_SD2 · 3 edits

MINOR

This bill update primarily adjusts administrative metadata, such as version numbers and effective dates, while making minor formatting changes to the text of the statute. The core policy provisions regarding electric bicycle regulations, school campus restrictions, and sidewalk riding rules remain substantively unchanged. The most notable substantive shift is the update of the bill's effective date to March 22, 2075, which appears to be a placeholder or error rather than a policy change.

Scope change

No substantive change to the bill's scope or applicability; the legal rules governing electric bicycles and related devices remain the same.

TIMELINE

The bill's effective date was changed from 'upon approval' to a specific future date of March 22, 2075, with a delayed implementation for Section 2.

TECHNICAL

Administrative metadata, including version numbers, revision IDs, and timestamps, were updated to reflect the new version (SD2).

Minor formatting adjustments were made to line breaks and punctuation throughout the text without altering legal meaning.

HB2021 → HB2021_CD1 · 7 edits

MODERATE

This bill version updates the legislative metadata to reflect Committee on Judiciary (CD1) changes, including new authorship and revised dates. Substantively, it adds an insurance exemption for road-legal electric bicycles, expands seizure powers to include non-compliant electric bikes and high-speed devices, and clarifies definitions for electric vehicle classifications. The bill also adjusts age restrictions for operating electric bicycles on sidewalks and updates terminology from 'motor scooter' to 'motor-driven cycle' across multiple statutes.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to include insurance exemptions for permitted electric bicycles and broadened enforcement authority to seize non-road-legal or nonconforming electric bicycles and high-speed electric devices. Terminology was updated to align with federal standards by replacing 'motor scooter' with 'motor-driven cycle'.

REQUIREMENT

Added an insurance exemption stating that road-legal, permitted, and classified electric bicycles are not required to have insurance.

Modified sidewalk riding rules to allow Class 3 electric bicycles on sidewalks at speeds under 10 mph, previously restricted to Class 1 and 2.

ENFORCEMENT

Expanded seizure authority to allow officials to seize non-road-legal or nonconforming electric bicycles and high-speed electric devices for violations of state law.

DEFINITION

Updated the definition of 'high-speed electric device' to explicitly include electric vehicles as defined in section 196-2 as an exclusion.

Replaced the term 'motor scooter' with 'motor-driven cycle' throughout the statute to align with federal terminology.

ELIGIBILITY

Adjusted age supervision requirements, removing the specific distinction between Class 2 and Class 3 bicycles and requiring direct supervision for any electric bicycle under age 16.

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date for Section 2 from a fixed date of December 31, 2026, to 120 days after the Act's approval or earlier upon rule adoption.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Apr 30, 2026

Upper · Passed

Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 24; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 1 (Senator(s) Awa). Excused, 0 (none).

upper

Apr 30, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with Representative(s) Garcia, Iwamoto voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0).

lower

Apr 28, 2026

Introduced

48 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 04-30-26

upper

Apr 28, 2026

Upper · Passed

Reported from Conference Committee as amended CD 1 (Conf. Com. Rep. No. 10-26).

upper

Apr 28, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 10-26) as amended in (CD 1).

lower

Apr 24, 2026

Upper · Passed

The Conference committee recommends that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes of the Senate Conference Managers were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Inouye, Wakai, Rhoads; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Apr 24, 2026

Lower · Passed

The Conference Committee recommends that the measure be Passed, with Amendments. The votes were as follows: 3 Ayes: Representative(s) Kila, Tarnas, Muraoka; Ayes with reservations: none; 0 Noes: none; and 0 Excused: none.

lower

Apr 22, 2026

Upper · Passed

Conference committee meeting scheduled for 04-24-26 9:30AM; CR 329.

upper

Apr 16, 2026

Amended

House disagrees with Senate amendment (s).

lower

Apr 14, 2026

Introduced

Returned from Senate (Sen. Com. No. 652) in amended form (SD 2).

lower

Apr 14, 2026

Upper · Passed

Report Adopted; Passed Third Reading, as amended (SD 2). Ayes, 24; Aye(s) with reservations: none. Noes, 1 (Senator(s) Awa). Excused, 0 (none). Transmitted to House.

upper

Apr 1, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on JDC recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in JDC were as follows: 3 Aye(s): Senator(s) Rhoads, Chang, San Buenaventura; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 1 No(es): Senator(s) Awa; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Gabbard.

upper

Mar 25, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on JDC will hold a public decision making on 04-01-26 10:30AM; CR 016 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 23, 2026

Upper · Passed

Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to JDC.

upper

Mar 23, 2026

Committee

Reported from TRS/EIG (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 3130) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to JDC.

upper

Mar 17, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on TRS recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in TRS were as follows: 5 Aye(s): Senator(s) Inouye, Elefante, Kanuha, Lee, C., DeCorte; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 0 Excused: none.

upper

Mar 17, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on EIG recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in EIG were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Wakai, Chang, DeCoite, Richards; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fevella.

upper

Mar 13, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on TRS/EIG has scheduled a public hearing on 03-17-26 3:05PM; Conference Room 229 & Videoconference.

upper

Mar 12, 2026

Committee

Referred to TRS/EIG, JDC.

upper

Mar 12, 2026

Introduced

Received from House (Hse. Com. No. 344).

upper

Mar 10, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed Third Reading as amended in HD 2 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0). Transmitted to Senate.

lower

Feb 26, 2026

Lower · Passed

The committee on JHA recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Tarnas, Poepoe, Hashem, Kahaloa, Sayama, Takayama, Shimizu; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Garcia; Noes: none; and 2 Excused: Representative(s) Belatti, Cochran.

lower

Feb 13, 2026

Committee

Reported from TRN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 265-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.

lower

Feb 10, 2026

Lower · Passed

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

lower

Jan 28, 2026

Committee

Referred to TRN, JHA, referral sheet 3

lower

Jan 26, 2026

Introduced

Introduced and Pass First Reading.

lower

Jan 23, 2026

Introduced

Pending introduction.

lower

23 primary · 0 co-sponsors