SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Illinois Senate on Wednesday advanced a measure without opposition that would establish a regulatory framework for electric bicycles, motorcycles and scooters, responding to the growing popularity of the devices and the safety concerns they have raised.

The bill passed 54-0 and now moves to the House. It was initiated by Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias’ office to keep pace with rapidly evolving technology around so-called e-bikes, e-motos and e-scooters, which have become increasingly common on streets and in bike lanes.

Their ubiquity has come with a cost. In September, a teenager was killed after the e-bike he was riding collided with a pickup truck in Chicago’s northwest suburbs. From 2019 to 2022, micromobility-related injuries and fatalities jumped 300% across the U.S, including in Illinois, the secretary of state’s office said.

Giannoulias said Wednesday that while the devices are convenient, affordable and environmentally friendly, “the technology has evolved faster than our laws.”

“Today, some of these devices travel well over 28 miles per hour. In some cases, exceeding 50 miles per hour. Yet, under current Illinois law, many remain undefined, inconsistently regulated, or not regulated at all,” he said at a statehouse news conference. “This creates confusion for riders, for families, for law enforcement, and for local governments.”

Under the legislation, riders of e-bikes and e-motos capable of traveling more than 28 mph would be required to have a driver’s license, title, registration and insurance. Riders of such devices, along with e-scooters, electric skateboards and electric unicycles, would be prohibited from exceeding 28 mph on roads, bike paths and sidewalks, the secretary of state’s office said. All riders of electric micromobility vehicles would have to be at least 16 years old.

The legislation would create uniform statewide standards, replacing the current patchwork of local ordinances, an approach that has the backing of the Illinois Municipal League, which typically resists state efforts to preempt home rule authority.

“When these devices are operated responsibly, they represent a genuine advancement in how people can move through our communities. But too often they’re not,” state Sen. Ram Villivalam, a Chicago Democrat and the main Senate sponsor of the legislation, said on the Senate floor Wednesday shortly before the bill passed. “(The legislation) is a comprehensive measure to address the changing nature of our vehicles and devices on Illinois roadways while adding uniformity and consistency in the law.”

Republican state Sen. Darby Hills of the Barrington area also backed the bill.

“I’ve heard from families, mayors and police chiefs across our communities who are increasingly concerned about the safety of high-speed e-bikes, e-scooters and other electric mobility devices,” she said on the Senate floor. “This bill clarifies expectations for riders, strengthens safety standards and importantly gives law enforcement the authority to confiscate these devices when they’re being operated illegally.”

If the measure passes the House and is signed into law by Gov. JB Pritzker, it would go into effect sometime next year. E-bikes and e-motos purchased before the effective date would be exempt from the title requirement but would still need to be registered, the secretary of state’s office said.

Along with the legislation, the secretary of state’s office said it would provide statewide public awareness outreach for riders, their parents, retailers and schools; updated driver education materials; and law enforcement guidance.

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