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H7789ABikes & Pedestrians

Motor and Other Vehicles - Electric Bicycles

This bill bans children under 16 from riding electric bicycles on roads and requires sellers to display e-bike laws.

Introduced67 Yea0 Nay8 Not voting
Population
Affected
15
Email Legislator
Introduced Feb 12, 2026Committee House State Government & Elections

Plain-English Summary

This bill establishes new regulations for electric bicycles in Rhode Island. It requires all businesses that sell electric bicycles to prominently display the state laws and rules regarding their use. It also requires the state's office of energy resources to provide this same regulatory information to anyone who receives a state rebate for purchasing an electric bicycle. Finally, the legislation makes it illegal for anyone under the age of 16 to ride an electric bicycle on any state or municipal roads and highways.

For younger readers

This bill creates new rules for electric bikes. First, it says that kids who are under 16 years old are not allowed to ride electric bikes on city streets or highways. Second, any store that sells electric bikes has to put up a sign showing the state rules for riding them. Also, if the government gives someone money back for buying an electric bike, the government must also give them a copy of these rules so they know how to ride safely and legally.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups
Children under 16Electric bicycle retailersElectric bicycle rebate recipientsParents of children under 16Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources
Impacted communities
All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

None Likely. The bill regulates the operation of motorized vehicles on public roadways, which is a standard exercise of state police power. The requirement for businesses to prominently display state laws is a standard commercial disclosure regulation and does not violate First Amendment rights.

Estimated cost
None
Estimated revenue
None

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints
For Progressives
  • Enhances public safety by ensuring young, potentially inexperienced riders under 16 are kept off busy roads, protecting the welfare of the community and vulnerable children.
  • Mandates clear consumer information by requiring businesses to prominently display e-bike regulations, ensuring buyers are fully informed about their rights and responsibilities.
  • Integrates public education with government assistance programs by requiring the office of energy resources to educate rebate recipients, promoting safe and responsible use of green transportation.
  • Restricts the mobility and independence of youth under 16, potentially limiting their ability to travel to school, work, or social activities without relying on cars or parents.
  • Creates a new age-based restriction that could lead to disproportionate policing and enforcement against minority or low-income youth riding e-bikes in their own neighborhoods.
  • Imposes additional signage and compliance mandates on small, local bicycle shops, which could be an unnecessary regulatory burden on community-based businesses.
For Conservatives
  • Protects public order and safety on roadways by keeping young, unlicensed children from operating motorized vehicles in active traffic.
  • Places the responsibility of knowing the law directly on the consumer by ensuring the rules are clearly displayed at the point of sale and during rebate issuance.
  • Establishes clear, objective age restrictions for operating motorized bicycles, creating a straightforward rule of law for local police to enforce.
  • Infringes on personal and family freedom by dictating that parents cannot allow their children under 16 to ride an e-bike on public roads, even if they deem them responsible.
  • Imposes new government mandates on private businesses, forcing bicycle retailers to display specific state-mandated regulatory signage in their stores.
  • Legitimizes and relies upon government rebate programs for electric bicycles, which conservatives often view as an inappropriate use of taxpayer funds to subsidize green energy initiatives.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

2 versions
Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 10 additions

SECTION 1. Chapter 31-19.7 of the General Laws entitled "Electric Bicycles" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following sections: 31-19.7-4. Notice of state laws, rules, and regulations.

(a) All businesses that sell electric bicycles in Rhode Island shall prominently display provisions and restrictions imposed by state law regulating electric bicycles.

(b) The office of energy resources shall notify electric bicycle rebate recipients of applicable state laws regarding electric bicycles, including, but not limited to, the provisions of this chapter and any regulations promulgated pursuant to this chapter. 31-19.7-5. Age restriction. Any "electric motorized bicycle", also called an "electric bicycle", as defined in § 31-19.7- 7.1 shall not be operated on state, municipal roads, or highways in this state by a person under the age of sixteen (16) years.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.