Committee clears bill to allow food delivery by electric bicycle

A legislative committee on Monday voted to favorably recommend a bill that clarifies that food-truck or food-delivery provisions in state statute allow vehicles powered by electric bicycles to provide deliveries.

The measure, presented to the Economic Development Committee as a narrow technical update, would change language in current statute that predated electric bicycles and does not expressly permit food delivery via electric bike. "This bill simply clarifies that you can have a food delivery vehicle that is powered by an electric bike," the bill sponsor told the committee.

Committee members and public commenters said the change is aimed at removing an unintended prohibition. Kyle Harlin of Bike Utah told the panel, "e-bikes provide a clean and sustainable mode of transportation, and this legislation will help businesses such as Hatches Chocolate in Salt Lake City serve our community and promote active transportation," the committee record shows. Utah County Commissioner Amelia Powers Gardner also voiced support, saying the bill "allows more opportunities for our community to deliver their goods to the people who want them."

Representative Fiafia moved to favorably pass the bill and recommend it to the full House; the maker waived speaking on the motion and the committee voted in favor. The chair closed debate after brief procedural questions and announced the motion passed.

The committee record indicates the proposal is a clarification, not an expansion, of current delivery allowances: committee members confirmed existing law permits delivery via bicycle and via motorized vehicles but did not expressly contemplate electric-assist bicycles when the statute was written.

The bill will be sent to the full House for further consideration.

Votes at a glance: The committee voted to favorably recommend the bill to the full House by voice vote (motion made by Representative Fiafia).