Illinois Bans Unlicensed E-Bikes Over 28 MPH Starting in January

Illinois Republican State Senator Darby Hills discusses a new law requiring license, registration and insurance for e-bikes and e-scooters capable of speeds over 28 miles per hour, which Governor JB Pritzker signed this week. Hills says the law, Senate Bill 3484, creates uniform statewide regulation for high-speed e-bikes and e-scooters that can reach up to 50 miles per hour, replacing a patchwork of local ordinances that left law enforcement without clear rules to enforce. She explains the law sorts e-bikes into three speed classes, with only the fastest class — those going 28 mph or over — subject to licensing, registration and insurance requirements under the Illinois Vehicle Code; those regulations take effect in January. Hills says police will be able to ticket and confiscate vehicles from underage or unlicensed riders, and that the bill passed with bipartisan support after input from law enforcement, park districts and the Secretary of State's office. Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias also praised the law's enactment, saying a statewide standard is preferable to varying local rules.