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.