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Council committee amends Honolulu 'wheelies' bill to target motorized two-wheelers
Summary
The Committee on Planning, Infrastructure and Transportation voted to amend Bill 61 (2024) to narrow prohibited 'wheelies' to motorized devices and advanced the measure for further readings after legal and administrative clarifications.
The Committee on Planning, Infrastructure and Transportation on Feb. 11 amended Bill 61 (2024) to narrow its prohibition on performing "wheelies" to motorized devices and sent the revised bill forward for a second-reading passage and a public hearing. The amendment changes definitions and scope to focus on electric bicycles, mopeds and motorcycles rather than traditional, non-motorized bicycles.
The change was introduced verbally by Council Vice Chair Heidi Weier and accepted by the committee after the city Department of Transportation Services and Deputy Corporation Counsel said the revisions resolve conflicts with state code and give counties temporary authority to adopt special rules during emergencies. "I just saw another wheelie right in front of me the other day," Vice Chair Weier told the committee as she described concerns about motorized devices ridden unsafely.
Director designate Roger Morton of the Department of Transportation Services said the department "is strongly in favor of pedestrian safety" and described the rapid proliferation of motorized bicycles and similar devices as a special condition counties may address. Deputy Corporation Counsel Brian Anchetta advised the committee that HRS 291C-163A22 allows counties to adopt temporary or experimental regulations for emergencies or special conditions and that the proposed edits align the city ordinance with the statewide traffic code.
Committee chair Cordero recommended the bill be amended to a CD1 reflecting the verbal changes; with no objections the motion carried by unanimous consent and the chair reported Bill 61 (2024) CD1 out for passage on second reading and scheduling of a public hearing.
What the amendments do: the committee agreed to (1) redefine "electric bicycle" and remove wording that had caused conflict with the state definition of "moped," (2) add a definition of "motorcycle" consistent with the statewide traffic code, and (3) revise the definition of "wheelie" to list electric bicycle, moped and motorcycle as covered devices. Corporation Counsel said those edits would make the city ordinance consistent with the statewide traffic code and allow temporary county regulations under HRS 291C-163A22 where the committee can show a documented local problem.
The committee also discussed whether to insert four data paragraphs from a recently passed Bill 52 that outline accident rates tied to motorized bicycles; members said the data could help justify the county's emergency-regulation authority.
The bill now moves to the council with a committee recommendation to amend to CD1 and a recommendation to proceed to second reading and public hearing.
A note on enforcement and scope: committee members and staff emphasized the measure is aimed at motorized two‑wheel devices on public streets; members repeatedly said traditional, non-motorized bicycles used in parks would not be the bill's target. Director Morton said the department and the city will monitor related state bills and coordinate on enforcement if the ordinance is adopted.
Votes at a glance: committee amended Bill 61 (2024) to CD1 by unanimous consent and reported it out for passage on second reading and scheduling of a public hearing.
