As the clock ticks towards a decision deadline, the fate of Hawaiʻi's House Bill 958, which seeks to regulate the use of electric bicycles, hangs in the balance. Gov. Josh Green, who recently revealed an intent to veto the bill from a selection of 19 others, is facing a concerted push from lawmakers and advocates to rethink his stance. According to Civil Beat, Rep. Darius Kila and his supporters have presented the bill as a crucial step in response to the spike in bicycle-related fatalities and the increasing prevalence of e-bikes across the islands.
Despite the bill's aim, Gov. Green's veto rationale argues that it may trample on the Constitution's Commerce and Equal Protection Clauses, and potentially clash with his administration's goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Civil Beat reports that the governor said, "While mopeds and motorcycles are exempt from the prohibition established within this bill, on ‘high-speed electric devices’ driving on public roadways, electric cars are not exempt." However, Roger Morton, director of Transportation Services for the City and County of Honolulu, has reached out to Green, stating to Civil Beat that HB 958 "clearly and narrowly" targets two- and three-wheeled electric mobility devices and should not affect electric cars, which come under separate motor vehicle statutes.
In an interview with KHON2, Travis Counsell, executive director of the Hawaiʻi Bicycling League, conveyed surprise at the bill's placement on the veto list, considering it a vital update to the state's regulations. Counsell said, "It really was the update we needed," underscoring the bill's alignment with national standards and its careful discrimination of e-bikes and other electric devices, extending precautions such as helmet requirements for younger riders.
The legislative impasse has highlighted the complexities involved in sculpting contemporary policies to navigate the evolving landscape of urban mobility. Kila has reiterated to the governor that the bill's design sidesteps any impact on electric cars, and enforcement agencies are in need of the parameters it sets to manage "unsafe and often illegal behaviors," as per Civil Beat's account. There is a cautious optimism voiced by Kila in his communications with the governor's office, telling KHON2, "I hope in the end, Gov will sign this bill and understand it’s not the intent (to go after electric cars) and we can collectively deliver on what the public has been asking us to do." HB 958 is now in Gov. Green's hands, and he has until July 9 to decide whether to sign it, veto it, or let it become law without his signature.
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