HB 2516: Helmets; Electric Foot Scooter; Bicycle; Electric Bicycle; Electric Micro-mobility Device; Required

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO HELMETS.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

     SECTION 1.  Section 291C-139, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended as follows:

     1.  By amending subsection (d) to read:

     "(d)  No person under fifteen years of age shall operate an electric foot scooter on a highway, street, roadway, or any other public property in the State.  No person under [sixteen] eighteen years of age shall operate an electric foot scooter unless the person wears a safety helmet securely fastened with a chin strap.  The safety helmet shall meet the specifications of and requirements for a bicycle helmet as set out in section 291C-150."

     2.  By amending subsection (j) to read:

     "(j)  A person or entity that provides electric foot scooters for hire shall not rent or lease an electric foot scooter to any person unless:

     (1)  Each renter or lessee that is under the age of [sixteen] eighteen wears a safety helmet, as required by subsection (d), while operating the electric foot scooter; and

     (2)  Each renter or lessee is provided with a copy of the electric foot scooter ordinances or rules that have been adopted by the applicable county."

     SECTION 2.  Section 291C-150, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "[[]§291C-150[]]  Bicycle helmets.  (a)  No person under [sixteen] eighteen years of age shall operate a bicycle upon a street, a bikeway, or any other public property unless that person is wearing a properly fitted and fastened bicycle helmet that has been tested by a nationally recognized agency such as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, [the] National Safety Council, or [the] Children's Safety Network[,] and is designed to fit the user and protect against head trauma.  This requirement also applies to a person who rides upon a bicycle while in a restraining seat that is attached to the bicycle or who rides in a trailer towed by the bicycle.

     (b)  No person shall operate a class 1, class 2, or class 3 electric bicycle or electric micro-mobility device unless that person is wearing a properly fitted and fastened bicycle helmet that has been tested pursuant to subsection (a).

     [(b)] (c)  A person who provides bicycles, any class of electric bicycles, or electric micro-mobility devices for hire shall not rent [a bicycle]:

     (1)  A bicycle to any person unless every person who is under age [sixteen] eighteen is wearing a bicycle helmet, as required in subsection (a)[,]; or

     (2)  Any class of electric bicycle or electric micro-mobility device unless every person is wearing a helmet as required in subsection (b),

while operating the rented bicycle, electric bicycle, or electric micro-mobility device, occupying a restraining seat that is attached to the rented bicycle, electric bicycle, or electric micro-mobility device, or riding in a trailer towed by the rented bicycle[.], electric bicycle, or electric micro-mobility device.

     [(c)] (d)  A violation of this section [is] shall be punishable by a fine of [not] no more than $25.  The parent or legal guardian having control or custody of an unemancipated minor whose conduct violates this section shall be liable for the amount of the fine imposed pursuant to this section.

     [(d)] (e)  Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the fines collected for a violation of this section shall be paid into the state treasury to the credit of the state general fund.

     (f)  For purposes of this section:

     "Class 1 electric bicycle" means an electric bicycle equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling and ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of twenty miles per hour.

     "Class 2 electric bicycle" means an electric bicycle equipped with a motor that may be used exclusively to propel the bicycle and is not capable of providing assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of twenty miles per hour.

     "Class 3 electric bicycle" means an electric bicycle equipped with:

     (1)  A motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling and ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of twenty-eight miles per hour; and

     (2)  A speedometer.

     "Electric bicycle" means a bicycle equipped with fully operable pedals and an electric motor of no more than seven hundred fifty watts.

     "Electric micro-mobility device" means a device weighing no more than seventy-five pounds that is fully or partially motorized and used for personal transportation, such as one-wheels and electric skateboards.  "Electric micro-mobility device" does not include electric bicycles or electric foot scooters."

     SECTION 3.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 3000.

Report Title:

Helmets; Electric Foot Scooter; Bicycle; Electric Bicycle; Electric Micro-mobility Device; Required

Description:

Increases the age of an individual who is required to wear a helmet for electric foot scooters and bicycles.  Prohibits a person from operating any class of electric bicycle or electronic micro-mobility device unless that person wears a helmet.  Effective 7/1/3000.  (HD1)

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to helmets.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

     SECTION 1.  Section 291C-139, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended as follows:

     1.  By amending subsection (d) to read:

     "(d)  No person under fifteen years of age shall operate an electric foot scooter on a highway, street, roadway, or any other public property in the State.  No person under [sixteen] eighteen years of age shall operate an electric foot scooter unless the person wears a safety helmet securely fastened with a chin strap.  The safety helmet shall meet the specifications of and requirements for a bicycle helmet as set out in section 291C-150."

     2.  By amending subsection (j) to read:

     "(j)  A person or entity that provides electric foot scooters for hire shall not rent or lease an electric foot scooter to any person unless:

     (1)  Each renter or lessee that is under the age of [sixteen] eighteen wears a safety helmet, as required by subsection (d), while operating the electric foot scooter; and

     (2)  Each renter or lessee is provided with a copy of the electric foot scooter ordinances or rules that have been adopted by the applicable county."

     SECTION 2.  Section 291C-150, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "[[]§291C-150[]]  Bicycle helmets.  (a)  No person under [sixteen] eighteen years of age shall operate a bicycle upon a street, a bikeway, or any other public property unless that person is wearing a properly fitted and fastened bicycle helmet that has been tested by a nationally recognized agency such as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, [the] National Safety Council, or [the] Children's Safety Network, and is designed to fit the user and protect against head trauma.  This requirement also applies to a person who rides upon a bicycle while in a restraining seat that is attached to the bicycle or who rides in a trailer towed by the bicycle.

     (b)  No person shall operate a high-speed electric bicycle unless that person is wearing a properly fitted and fastened bicycle helmet that has been tested pursuant to subsection (a).

     [(b)] (c)  A person who provides bicycles or high-speed electric bicycles for hire shall not rent a [bicycle]:

     (1)  Bicycle to any person unless every person who is under age [sixteen] eighteen is wearing a bicycle helmet, as required in subsection (a)[,]; or

     (2)  High-speed electric bicycle unless every person is wearing a helmet as required in subsection (b),

while operating the rented bicycle[,] or high-speed electric bicycle, occupying a restraining seat that is attached to the rented bicycle[,] or high-speed electric bicycle, or riding in a trailer towed by the rented bicycle[.] or high-speed electric bicycle.

     [(c)] (d)  A violation of this section is punishable by a fine of [not] no more than $25.  The parent or legal guardian having control or custody of an unemancipated minor whose conduct violates this section shall be liable for the amount of the fine imposed pursuant to this section.

     [(d)] (e)  Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the fines collected for a violation of this section shall be paid into the state treasury to the credit of the state general fund.

     (f)  For purposes of this section, "high-speed electric bicycle" means a bicycle that is:

     (1)  Equipped with fully operable pedals and an electric motor of no more than seven hundred fifty watts that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling; and

     (2)  Ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of twenty-eight miles per hour and equipped with a speedometer."

     SECTION 3.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Report Title:

Helmets; Electric Foot Scooter; Bicycle; High-Speed Electric Bicycle; Required

Description:

Increases the age of an individual who is required to wear a helmet for electric foot scooters and bicycles.  Prohibits a person from operating a high-speed electric bicycle, or a class 3 electric bicycle, unless that person wears a helmet.

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.

STAND. COM. REP. NO.  435-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2026

RE:   H.B. No. 2516

      H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

     Your Committee on Transportation, to which was referred H.B. No. 2516 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HELMETS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to:

     (1)  Increase the age of an individual who is required to wear a helmet for electric foot scooters and bicycles; and

     (2)  Prohibit a person from operating a high-speed electric bicycle unless that person wears a helmet.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Transportation; Department of Health; AAA Hawaiʻi; and Hawaiʻi Bicycling League.

     Your Committee finds that the increasing use of electric foot scooters, bicycles, and electric bicycles on public roadways presents heightened risks of head injuries, particularly among youth.  Existing law requires helmet use only for individuals under sixteen years of age, despite evidence that older adolescents remain vulnerable to serious injury when operating these devices.  By raising the minimum age for mandatory helmet use to under eighteen years of age and requiring helmet use for all operators of electric bicycles and other electric devices, this measure enhances protections for young riders and supports safer transportation practices statewide.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Clarifying that no person shall operate or hire out to another person any class of electric bicycle or electric micro-mobility device, rather than a high-speed electric bicycle, unless that person, or the person to whom it is being hired out, is properly wearing a helmet, including defining certain terms;

     (2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

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

     Your Committee further requests the Department of Transportation to examine the expanded use of helmets for other similar electric mobility devices.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Transportation that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2516, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2516, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Transportation,