04/27/2021 01:00 PM House TRANSPORTATION

                HB 87-ELECTRIC-ASSISTED BICYCLES                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
1:01:54 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR HOPKINS  announced that the  first order of  business would                                                               
be  HOUSE BILL  NO.  87, "An  Act  relating to  electric-assisted                                                               
bicycles."                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:02:34 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ASHLEY  CARRICK, Staff,  Representative Adam  Wool, Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature, presented  HB 87 on  behalf of  Representative Wool,                                                               
prime sponsor.   She  reviewed that the  proposed bill  would add                                                               
the definition  of electric-assisted bicycles to  statute so that                                                               
they can be regulated as bicycles rather than motor vehicles.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:03:15 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  CRONK noted  one outcome  of  HB 87  would be  to                                                               
allow   electric-assisted  bicycles   on   hunting  trails   that                                                               
currently allow bicycles.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MS.  CARRICK  confirmed  that  is  correct.    She  pointed  out,                                                               
however,  that  municipalities  could  choose  to  ban  electric-                                                               
assisted bicycles from certain trails via ordinance.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  HOPKINS  offered  his  understanding   that  HB  87  would                                                               
establish  "the  electric  pedal-assisted bikes  as  nonmotorized                                                               
vehicles."   He asked  for confirmation  that currently  they are                                                               
not categorized and could go on those trails.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MS. CARRICK responded that's correct.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  CRONK  mentioned  a specific  hunting  trail,  on                                                               
which he  said bicycles currently  are allowed, and  he expressed                                                               
concern for  the increase in the  number of users on  that trail,                                                               
and  others,   should  HB  87  pass,   because  electric-assisted                                                               
bicycles, which  have motors,  would also be  used on  the trail.                                                               
He  asked whether  the sponsor  had held  conversations with  the                                                               
Alaska Department of Fish & Game (ADF&G) on this topic.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MS. CARRICK answered  that the sponsor has  "had conversations in                                                               
the  past"  when  sponsoring  the   previous  iteration  of  this                                                               
legislation, which  she indicated  was the  impetus to  limit the                                                               
legislation  to  pedal-assisted  bikes as  opposed  to  throttle-                                                               
controlled bikes.   The  bicycles being defined  under HB  87 are                                                               
those  that reach  a maximum  speed of  28 miles  per hour  (mph)                                                               
while being pedaled.  She  suggested those factors may adequately                                                               
assuage Representative Cronk's concerns.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR HOPKINS  added that electric-assisted bicycles  are "fairly                                                               
quiet."                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:08:01 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MCCABE  proffered  that  there  is  a  difference                                                               
between  "motor  vehicle," a  category  from  which HB  87  would                                                               
remove  electric-assisted bicycles,  and  "a motorized  vehicle,"                                                               
which  he  offered his  understanding  is  referenced in  ADF&G's                                                               
hunting   regulations;  therefore,   he  surmised   that  ADF&G's                                                               
regulation  could still  prohibit  the  use of  electric-assisted                                                               
bicycles [on hunting trails].                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR HOPKINS concurred that there is "a way around this."                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:09:12 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  HANNAN moved  to report  HB 87  out of  committee                                                               
with  individual  recommendations  and  the  accompanying  fiscal                                                               
notes.  There  being no objection, HB 87 was  reported out of the                                                               
House Transportation Standing Committee.