Legislature(2023 - 2024)GRUENBERG 120
03/02/2023 03:00 PM House STATE AFFAIRS
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HJR3 | |
| HB8 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | HJR 3 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 8 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HB 8-ELECTRIC-ASSISTED BICYCLES
3:12:53 PM
CHAIR SHAW announced that the final order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 8, "An Act relating to electric-assisted
bicycles."
3:13:30 PM
REPRESENTATIVE ASHLEY CARRICK, Alaska State Legislature, prime
sponsor, welcomed questions from members of the committee.
REPRESENTATIVE ALLARD asked why electric assisted scooters were
excluded from the bill.
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK explained that when the legislation was
initially drafted roughly five years ago, electric assisted
bicycles "e-bikes" were an emerging area of recreation and
transportation. She stated that the bill was drafted in
response to the need for a clear statutory definition of e-bike.
She observed that electric assisted scooters were a less
lucrative form of recreation in Alaska.
REPRESENTATIVE ALLARD asked whether e-bikes could be used for
hunting.
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK clarified that the purpose of HB 8 was to
classify e-bikes as bicycles, thereby allowing them to be
operated in the same places as bicycles. Consequently, she
opined that if bicycles could be used for hunting, so too could
e-bikes. She reiterated that the goal was to define e-bikes in
statute and provide further clarification with the three-tier
classification system allowing the Department of Natural
Resources (DNR) and municipalities to further regulate their
usage.
3:17:50 PM
CHAIR SHAW shared a personal anecdote and asked whether bicycle
charging stations would be placed in different locations in the
future.
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK said, "I don't think so." She shared her
understanding that e-bikes were self-contained systems, adding
that they could be re-charged via pedaling.
3:18:57 PM
REPRESENTATIVE C. JOHNSON pointed out that the Tony Knowles
Coastal Trail in Anchorage restricted the use of motorized
vehicles. He sought to verify that the bill would effectually
declassify e-bikes as "motorized," thereby allowing their usage
on trails.
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK reported that the Municipality of
Anchorage (MOA) adopted the same three-class definition of e-
bike proposed in HB 8; therefore, e-bikes were allowed on any
non-motorized trail system in Anchorage, including the Tony
Knowles Coastal Trail. She pointed out that the MOA could
choose to further regulate e-bikes by restricting their usage to
less than 28 mph with full assist on a class 3 bike, for
example.
3:20:25 PM
REPRESENTATIVE WRIGHT moved to report HB 8 out of committee with
individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes.
There being no objection, HB 8 was reported out of the House
State Affairs Standing Committee.
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