HB169 • 2026

RELATING TO MOPEDS.

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: SAYAMA, GRANDINETTI, KAHALOA, KILA, KITAGAWA, LAMOSAO, LOWEN, MATAYOSHI, OLDS, POEPOE, QUINLAN, TAKAYAMA, TAKENOUCHI, TAM
Last action: 2025-12-08
Official status: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide details on enforcement or penalties for non-compliance with the new age requirements.

Rules for Moped Riders

This bill increases the minimum age for moped riders from fifteen to sixteen years old and raises the helmet requirement age from eighteen to twenty-one.

What This Bill Does

Raises the minimum age a person can ride a moped from fifteen to sixteen years old.

Who It Names or Affects

People who currently or plan to ride mopeds in Hawaii.

Terms To Know

Helmet: A protective head covering that riders must wear when operating a moped unless they meet the age requirement.
Moped: A small motorized vehicle with pedals, often used for short trips in urban areas.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what happens if someone under twenty-one rides a moped without a helmet.
It is unclear how this change will affect current riders who are fifteen or sixteen years old.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: Hawaii published version HD1 1

This amendment summary is using official source text because generated interpretation was skipped for this run.
The official amendment text was available, but an easy plain-English summary could not be produced automatically during the last sync.

Bill History

2025-12-08 D
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
2025-02-11 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on JHA with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia, Muraoka, Reyes Oda voting no (3) and Representative(s) Cochran, Ward excused (2).
2025-02-11 H
Reported from TRN (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 378) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to JHA.
2025-02-06 H
The committee on TRN recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 8 Ayes: Representative(s) Kila, Grandinetti, Cochran, Evslin, Kitagawa, La Chica, Miyake; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Muraoka; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Pierick.
2025-02-04 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by TRN on Thursday, 02-06-25 10:00AM in House conference room 430 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2025-01-21 H
Referred to TRN, JHA, referral sheet 1
2025-01-16 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2025-01-14 H
Prefiled.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO MOPEDS.
Mopeds; Age Requirement; Helmets; Highway Safety
Increases the minimum age for moped operators from fifteen to sixteen years. Increases the minimum age requirement for individuals prohibited from operating a moped unless they wear a safety helmet from eighteen to twenty-one years. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB169

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

169

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to mopeds
.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

����
SECTION
1.
�
The legislature finds that helmets
provide moped operators with protection against life-threatening injuries.
�
According to data from the department of
health, from 2021 through 2022, there were five hundred twenty-nine injured
moped riders transported to Hawaii hospitals, of which sixty-seven per cent
were not wearing a helmet.
�
Increasing
the minimum age for moped ridership and age requirement for moped operators required
to wear a safety helmet will improve ridership safety and contribute to an
overall safer environment for all road users.

����
The
purpose of this Act is to increase:

����
(1)
�
The minimum age for moped operators from
fifteen to sixteen years; and

����
(2)
�
The minimum age requirement for individuals
prohibited from operating a moped unless they wear a safety helmet from
eighteen to twenty-one years.

����
SECTION
2
.
�
Section 291C-195, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

����
"(a)
�
Notwithstanding section 286-81(b), no person:

����
(1)
�
Less than [
fifteen
]

sixteen
years of age shall drive a moped on a highway, street, roadway,
or any other public property in the State; and

����
(2)
�
Less than [
eighteen
]

twenty-one
years of age shall drive a moped unless the person wears a
safety helmet securely fastened with a chin strap.

The safety helmet shall meet the specifications and
requirements established by rules adopted by the director."

����
SECTION
3.
�
Statutory material to be repealed is
bracketed and stricken.
�
New statutory
material is underscored.

����
SECTION 4.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Mopeds;
Age Requirement; Helmets; Highway Safety

Description:

Increases
the minimum age for moped operators from fifteen to sixteen years.
�
Increases the minimum age requirement for
individuals prohibited from operating a moped unless they wear a safety helmet
from eighteen to twenty-one years.

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.