Bill Text: IA SF490 | 2025-2026 | 91st General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: A bill for an act relating to the maximum power output for low-speed electric bicycles and pedestrian conveyances powered by an electric motor.(Formerly SF 375.)
Spectrum: Committee Bill
Status: (Introduced) 2025-03-04 - Committee report, approving bill. S.J. 410. [SF490 Detail]
Download: Iowa-2025-SF490-Introduced.html
Senate
File
490
-
Introduced
SENATE
FILE
490
BY
COMMITTEE
ON
TRANSPORTATION
(SUCCESSOR
TO
SF
375)
(COMPANION
TO
HF
74
BY
GUSTOFF)
A
BILL
FOR
An
Act
relating
to
the
maximum
power
output
for
low-speed
1
electric
bicycles
and
pedestrian
conveyances
powered
by
an
2
electric
motor.
3
BE
IT
ENACTED
BY
THE
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IOWA:
4
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S.F.
490
Section
1.
Section
321.1,
subsection
36A,
unnumbered
1
paragraph
1,
Code
2025,
is
amended
to
read
as
follows:
2
“Low-speed
electric
bicycle”
means
a
device
having
equipped
3
with
a
saddle
or
seat
for
the
use
of
a
rider,
two
or
three
4
wheels
,
equipped
with
fully
operable
pedals,
and
an
electric
5
motor
of
less
than
that
produces
not
more
than
seven
hundred
6
fifty
watts
that
meets
,
and
is
classified
in
accordance
with
7
the
following
requirements
of
one
of
the
following
classes
:
8
Sec.
2.
Section
321.1,
subsection
51A,
Code
2025,
is
amended
9
to
read
as
follows:
10
51A.
“Pedestrian
conveyance”
means
any
human-powered
device
11
by
which
a
pedestrian
may
move
other
than
by
walking
or
by
12
which
a
pedestrian
may
move
another
person,
including
but
not
13
limited
to
a
wheelchair,
stroller,
skateboard,
scooter,
or
14
other
similar
device.
“Pedestrian
conveyance”
also
includes
15
an
electric
personal
assistive
mobility
device
and
any
other
16
device
used
to
move
a
person
sitting
or
standing
on
the
device
17
regardless
of
whether
the
device
is
powered
by
an
electric
18
motor,
so
long
as
the
electric
motor
produces
less
not
more
19
than
seven
hundred
fifty
watts.
“Pedestrian
conveyance”
does
20
not
include
a
bicycle.
21
EXPLANATION
22
The
inclusion
of
this
explanation
does
not
constitute
agreement
with
23
the
explanation’s
substance
by
the
members
of
the
general
assembly.
24
This
bill
relates
to
the
authorized
maximum
power
produced
25
by
electric
motors
on
low-speed
electric
bicycles
and
26
pedestrian
conveyances.
Current
law
limits
the
output
of
such
27
electric
motors
to
less
than
750
watts.
The
bill
instead
28
authorizes
such
electric
motors
to
produce
not
more
than
750
29
watts.
If
an
electric
motor
produces
more
than
750
watts
and
30
is
attached
to
what
would
otherwise
be
considered
a
low-speed
31
electric
bicycle
or
personal
conveyance,
the
provisions
of
Code
32
chapter
321
(motor
vehicles
and
law
of
the
road)
relating
to
33
vehicles,
motor
vehicles,
automobiles,
cars,
motorcycles,
and
34
motorized
bicycles
are
applicable
to
such
vehicles.
35
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