Traffic Safety

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 55, Chapter 8, relative to electric bicycles.

Active

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

Sponsor: Johnson, Reeves
Last action: 2026-04-06
Official status: Effective date(s) 04/01/2026, 07/01/2026
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official summary does not provide details on specific regulations for class 3 bicycles beyond age restrictions.

Electric Bicycle Regulations in Tennessee

This bill changes how local governments and state agencies can regulate class 1 and class 2 electric bicycles on streets and highways where regular bikes are allowed.

What This Bill Does

Allows local governments to make rules about class 1 and class 2 electric bikes on roads where regular bikes are allowed within their jurisdiction.
Gives state agencies the power to set rules for class 1 and class 2 electric bikes on parts of streets or highways they control.
Raises the age limit from under 14 to under 16 years old for riding a class 3 electric bike on any street or highway, effective July 1, 2026.

Who It Names or Affects

People who ride electric bicycles in Tennessee
Local government officials and state agencies

Terms To Know

Class 1 Electric Bicycle: An electric bike that has a motor to help pedal power but no throttle.
Class 2 Electric Bicycle: An electric bike with both pedal power and a throttle for extra speed.
Class 3 Electric Bicycle: A faster electric bike that needs pedaling to activate the motor.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what happens if local governments or state agencies do not make rules about class 1 and class 2 electric bikes.
It is unclear how this will affect existing bicycle paths and trails in Tennessee, except for those within public parks or greenways where prohibitions can be reported to the department of safety.

Amendments

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

HA0645

Amendment 1-0 to HB1712

Plain English: The amendment changes where certain types of electric bicycles can be ridden and raises the age limit for riding without adult supervision.

Class 1 and Class 2 electric bicycles are allowed to ride on streets, highways, bike lanes, shoulders, and trails where regular bikes are permitted.
Local governments and state agencies have the power to make rules or ban these types of electric bicycles in certain areas if they think it's necessary for safety reasons.
Class 3 electric bicycles can only be ridden on roads with special permission from local authorities or state agencies.

The amendment does not specify the exact conditions under which Class 3 electric bicycles are allowed to ride, leaving some details unclear.

HA0646

Amendment 2-0 to HB1712

Plain English: The amendment changes where high-speed electric bicycles can be ridden.

Removes the current restriction and replaces it with new rules for class 3 electric bicycles on paths or trails near streets or highways.
Allows local governments to decide if class 3 electric bicycles can use certain bike lanes, shoulders, berms, paths, or trails through their own rules.

The exact details of how local governments will implement these new rules are not specified in the amendment text.

SA0525

Amendment 1-0 to SB1782

Plain English: The amendment changes where certain types of electric bicycles can be ridden and raises the age limit for riding without adult supervision.

Class 1 and Class 2 electric bicycles are allowed to ride on streets, highways, bike lanes, shoulders, and trails where regular bikes are permitted.
Local governments and state agencies have the power to regulate or ban Class 1 and Class 2 electric bicycles in certain areas if they believe it is necessary for public safety.
Class 3 electric bicycles can only be ridden on streets, highways, bike lanes, shoulders, and trails where regular bikes are allowed with specific permission from local governments or state agencies.

The amendment does not specify the exact criteria that local governments and state agencies must use to determine if regulations or prohibitions are necessary for public safety.
It is unclear how this change will affect current rules regarding Class 3 electric bicycles without specific permission from authorities.

SA0556

Amendment 2-0 to SB1782

Plain English: The amendment changes where high-speed electric bicycles can be ridden.

High-speed electric bicycles (class 3) cannot ride on paths or trails unless the area is next to a street or highway, or local government rules allow it.

The exact details of how local governments will make decisions about allowing high-speed electric bicycles are not specified in this amendment.

Bill History

2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly
Effective date(s) 04/01/2026, 07/01/2026
2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly
Pub. Ch. 651
2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly
Comp. became Pub. Ch. 651
2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly
Signed by Governor.
2026-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly
Transmitted to Governor for action.
2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly
Signed by H. Speaker
2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly
Signed by Senate Speaker
2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly
Enrolled and ready for signatures
2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed H., Ayes 72, Nays 21, PNV 1
2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly
Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 2 - HA0646)
2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly
Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0645)
2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly
Subst. for comp. HB.
2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly
Comp. SB subst.
2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly
H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 3/16/2026
2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/12/2026
2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee
2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly
Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.
2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Engrossed; ready for transmission to House
2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 30, Nays 0
2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 2 - SA0556)
2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0525)
2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Transportation Committee for 3/10/2026
2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/5/2026
2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Transportation Committee
2026-03-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Senate Reset on calendar for 3/5/2026
2026-02-27 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/2/2026
2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 7, Nays 1 PNV 0
2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Transportation Subcommittee for 3/3/2026
2026-02-18 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Transportation and Safety Committee calendar for 2/25/2026
2026-02-17 Tennessee General Assembly
Action Def. in s/c Transportation Subcommittee to Next Available Calendar
2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Transportation Subcommittee for 2/17/2026
2026-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly
Action Def. in s/c Transportation Subcommittee to 2/17/2026
2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Transportation Subcommittee for 2/10/2026
2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Transportation and Safety Committee
2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly
Assigned to s/c Transportation Subcommittee
2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly
P2C, ref. to Transportation Committee
2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly
Introduced, Passed on First Consideration
2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly
Intro., P1C.
2026-01-20 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction
2026-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

ON MARCH 5, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENTS #1 AND #2 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 1782, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 rewrites the bill to, instead, authorize a local government to regulate or prohibit the operation of a class 1 or class 2 electric bicycle on any part of a street or highway where bicycles are authorized to travel within its jurisdiction. F
urther, this amendment authorizes a state agency having jurisdiction over any part of a street or highway where bicycles are authorized to travel to regulate or prohibit the operation of a class 1 or class 2 electric bicycle on that part of the street or
hi
ghway.

Present law prohibits a person under 14 from operating such a bicycle on any street or highway. Effective July 1, 2026, this amendment prohibits a person under 16 from operating a class 3 electric bicycle on any street or highway.

AMENDMENT #2 clarifies that a class 3 electric bicycle is prohibited from operating on any part of a path or trail where bicycles are authorized to travel unless (i) the bicycle lane, shoulder or berm, or path or trail is within or adjacent to the street
, highway, or state highway; or (ii) the governing body of the local government in which that bicycle lane, shoulder or berm, or path or trail is located or a state agency with jurisdiction permits its operation.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HOUSE BILL 1712
By Reeves

SENATE BILL 1782
By Johnson
SB1782
011398
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 55,
Chapter 8, relative to electric bicycles.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-8-306, is amended by adding the
following as a new subsection:
(c) A local government adopting a prohibition of class 1 or class 2 electric
bicycles on a bicycle path or trail in a public park or greenway owned or operated by the
local government may submit a copy of the resolution or ordinance to the department of
safety. Upon notice of a prohibition, the department may compile and publish to its
website a list of public parks and greenways where operation of a class 1 or class 2
electric bicycle is prohibited by a county or municipality pursuant to subsection (a).
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.