On behalf of the Ashburn Village Community Association (AVCA), I am submitting testimony in strong support of HB 1120, which proposes the formation of a workgroup to examine and recommend updates to Virginia law regarding e‑bikes and other electric personal‑mobility devices. Our community has experienced a rapid increase in the use of e‑bikes, electric scooters, and similar devices with motors of 750 watts or more. While these technologies provide convenient and sustainable transportation options, they have also raised significant safety and property‑damage concerns, particularly when operated by minors or inexperienced users who may lack training or awareness of road rules. AVCA has observed unsafe operation by minors who often lack knowledge of traffic laws or proper safety equipment, reckless riding on streets, sidewalks, and trails that creates hazards for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists, and damage to common areas and landscaped spaces from off‑path riding or misuse. Additionally, law enforcement, including the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, faces challenges in applying existing statutes to these devices because current laws are outdated, unclear, or insufficient. These devices often do not fit neatly into existing classifications for bicycles, mopeds, or motor vehicles, making it difficult to address unsafe behavior, establish age or licensing requirements, or issue citations that hold up legally. HB 1120 represents a necessary step forward. A formal workgroup that includes lawmakers, law‑enforcement agencies, community associations, safety experts, and industry representatives can develop clear, modernized, and enforceable standards. Such a group can identify appropriate age and training requirements, establish equipment and safety standards, define operational rules for roads, trails, and sidewalks, update device classifications to reflect today’s technology, and provide effective enforcement tools that law‑enforcement agencies can reliably apply. Updating Virginia’s legal framework in this way will promote safer use of e‑bikes and other electric mobility devices, protect residents, reduce property damage, and support responsible recreation. For these reasons, the Ashburn Village Community Association strongly supports HB 1120 and urges its passage. Thank you for the opportunity to provide testimony. Mark Walker General Manager Ashburn Village Community Association

Please DO NOT REPORT HB1417. This bill was NOT requested by ANY bicycling organization, is seriously FLAWED, and would NOT advance bicyclist safety. By contrast, HB661, which we do strongly support, was carefully crafted and widely vetted by the statewide, 45-year-old Virginia Bicycling Federation over several years, adheres to national best practices, and is supported by multiple traffic-research studies. HB1417 differs substantially from the "Idaho Stop" laws that are currently in effect in other U.S. states. While 11 states (plus Washington DC and other cities) allow bicycle riders to treat stop signs as yield signs, often under limited circumstances, HB1417 does NOT require bicycle riders to slow down as they approach a controlled intersection. Moreover, whereas the Safety Yield in HB661 is intentionally limited to low-traffic intersections where no leg has more than two travel lanes, HB1417 would apply to EVERY stop sign in Virginia. Only five states (Idaho, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Colorado, and New Mexico) allow bicycle riders to treat red traffic lights as stop signs. However, HB1417 differs from ALL such laws by not requiring the bicycle rider to first come to a full stop at ANY red light. Furthermore, HB1417 would apply to EVERY red light in Virginia. Just as HB661 would not allow not stopping at stop signs posted along multi-lane roads, it would be reckless to allow bicyclists to run red lights--even after first stopping--along or across multi-lane arterial roads. We sincerely appreciate the patron's desire to make bicycling safer, but HB1417 would NOT advance that objective. Thank you for considering our perspective.

HB1417 is well intentioned, but the proposal to remove electric power-assisted bicycle from the definition of bicycles will have incredibly detrimental effects on a large and growing number of e-bike riders in Virginia. Virginia law already codifies an electric power assisted bicycle into three categories, all of which are able to operate safely and reasonably in exactly the same manner as a standard bicycle. Electric bicycles enable people of all abilities to get out and ride, whether it is for commuting, for fun, or to spend time with family. Removing their ability to operate as bicycles would have a detrimental effect on this group. As defined by Virginia law, class 1, 2, and 3 electric bicycles are only able to operate up to 20 mph using a throttle and up to 28 miles an hour when as pedal assist. These speeds are well within the standard range of many experienced bicyclists and do not pose a danger beyond that of a normal bicycle. Electric pedal assist bicycles enable people with disabilities for older individuals to ride longer and faster then they might be able to otherwise, or or even to allow them to ride at all. Authorized classes of electric bicycles also include cargo bicycles which are increasingly used by young families to transport children and household goods to enable these families to live either car free or car lite. This bill would limit all of these Virginia residents from using bicycles in a safe and appropriate manner. There is a separate class of vehicles that are not included in the definition of electric power assisted bicycles which go faster then the speeds listed above and which are actually defined in Virginia law as either mopeds or motorcycles even if they look somewhat similar to bicycles.

I oppose HB1417. At 60 years old, I have bicycled VA since I was 3 in Roanoke, as a teen riding in Virginia Beach, and for decades as an adult in Norfolk. Though I appreciate legislation aimed to make riding safer, this particular bill does not meet that standard. The bill allows for bikes to proceed through a red light or stop sign without slowing down. Not safe, not beneficial to bike riders or other road users.

Bicycling safety is important. People of all income levels and diverse interest ride bicycles for alternative transportation, recreation and healthy lifestyle. I appreciate this bill’s concerns for bicycle safety. I hope VDOT will use some of these measures to move forward bicycle safety. Study some of these ideas in VDOT and the Virginia Bicycling Federation to bring the bicycle safety bill forward next year. Vote to pass by for 2026.

I ask that Delegate Keys-Gamarra’s HB1417 be carried over to 2027. As an avid bicyclist, I appreciate attempts to improve bicyclist safety. Moreover, when we make bicycling safer, we usually make walking and driving safer, too. However, no evidence to date suggests that the current bill would make bicycling safer. HB1417 allows bicyclists to proceed through a yield sign-controlled intersection and an intersection with a red traffic signal or stop sign without slowing down. No research shows that these measures will improve safety. The approach suggested in HB1417 is untried and unproven. Perhaps the lack of empirical support is the reason no other state has passed similar legislation. Carrying over the bill to 2027 would provide an opportunity to work with stakeholders to address safety issues based on solutions that have proven successful elsewhere. I am happy to work with Delegate Keys-Gamarra to improve his bill by incorporating initiatives that have proven elsewhere to make bicycling safer.

Please do not pass HB1417. While well intentioned, it goes beyond what any other state has done, including some changes not currently supported by research. As a bike advocate, I thank the comm for supporting HB661, a major advance. 1417 could be held to 2027, enabling further study.

I respectfully ask that HB1417 be carried over to 2027. While I appreciate the intent to improve bicyclist safety, this bill would allow bicyclists to proceed through certain intersections without slowing and is not supported by research or other states’ experience. This is an untested approach with safety implications. A carryover would allow time to develop evidence-based solutions with stakeholders.

I ask that Delegate Keys-Gamarra’s HB1417 be carried over to 2027. I greatly appreciate Delegate Keys-Gamarra’s interest in and support for improving bicyclist safety. With increasing injuries and fatalities of people riding bicycles from being struck by motor vehicles, updating legislation is a necessary component of making Virginia safer for people riding bicycles. Here are reasons to ask that HB1417 be carried over to 2027 1. HB1417 would eliminate existing Code of Virginia requirements for a person riding a bicycle to slow before proceeding through a yield sign-controlled intersection and would further legalize not slowing before proceeding through an intersection with a red traffic signal or stop sign. 2. No other state has enacted language like that contained in HB1417. No studies have been done to show that the measures proposed in HB1417 will improve safety. The approach suggested in HB1417 is untried and unproven. 3. Carrying over the bill to 2027 would provide an opportunity to work with stakeholders to address safety issues based on solutions that have proven successful elsewhere. I ask that HB1417 not be reported this year because, as written, it would codify and encourage unsafe behavior and is not based on experience elsewhere or safety studies. I personally welcome an opportunity to work with Delegate Keys-Gamarra on initiatives that enable Virginia to implement safety benefits that have proven successful elsewhere.

I support HB1417. Bikes are not cars. Cyclists are much less likely to cause injury or death when colliding with pedestrians or other cyclists, while cars pose an extreme danger to other road users, particularly cyclists and pedestrians. Cyclists have a much greater range of vision of their environment than drivers, due to the numerous blind spots caused by the structure of cars. Cyclists have to expend a great deal of effort to gain momentum after coming to a complete stop, and once pedaling again, their slower pace can put them at greater risk due to increased time crossing an intersection. After Delaware passed a similar law in 2017, crashes involving cyclists at stop-controlled intersections decreased by 23%. In my own experience riding a bike, I am able to slow down sufficiently to see whether cars, cyclists, or pedestrians are approaching a stop-controlled intersection without needing to come to a stop if no one is coming. This bill is just common sense for anyone who rides a bike.

Please stop endangering bike riders, cyclists, and drivers on the roads. Narrowing car lanes for cyclists and bikers is totally unacceptable and promotes unnecessary harm to everyone. Bikers and cyclists should be banned from heavy traffic areas, major roads, streets and highways. Why are liberals creating more problems and not being accountable?