During the 2025 state legislative session, PeopleForBikes’ Government Affairs and Infrastructure team has been hard at work advancing policies that support better biking and the bike industry to advance our mission of transforming the U.S. into the best place in the world to ride a bike. Our policy priorities include clarifying definitions of electric bicycles (e-bikes), enhancing lithium-ion battery safety, increasing funding for bike infrastructure, promoting safer street design, expanding access to outdoor recreation, and more. Read on to learn more about the top policy issues we’re championing in 2025. 

Defining Electric Motorcycles
E-bikes have become increasingly popular in recent years, expanding access to both recreation and transportation for people of all ages and abilities and providing a variety of economic, health, and environmental benefits in communities nationwide.

As the e-mobility market continues to evolve, PeopleForBikes spent this year’s state legislative session advocating for electric motorcycle (e-moto) policies to protect the sale of safe and reliable e-bikes. Some companies’ new products are being sold as “e-bikes,” but do not fall within the definition of an e-bike due to their speed and/or motor power. These products are actually electric mopeds or electric motorcycles, which are subject to the same licensing, registration, and insurance requirements as other motor vehicles, and are contributing to concerns around lithium-ion battery fires and safety, particularly with youth riders. PeopleForBikes advocated in support of introduced legislation in California, Colorado, Connecticut, and Hawaii to clarify the definition of e-motos.

Learn more about the difference between e-bikes and e-motos. 

Lithium-Ion Battery Safety Standards 

As e-bike usage continues to grow, PeopleForBikes remains focused on the regulation of e-bike drive systems and lithium-ion batteries to ensure that safe and reliable products are readily available to riders across the U.S. 

In Illinois, PeopleForBikes supported legislation that would establish statewide regulations for e-mobility products, including e-bikes. We specifically helped achieve a consideration for products certified to the international EN standard, a significant win for the U.S. bike industry and e-bike riders!

Increased Electric Mountain Bike Access and Outdoor Recreation Opportunities 

Expanding electric mountain bike (eMTB) access nationwide remains a high priority for PeopleForBikes, with only 15 states currently authorizing Class 1 eMTB use on state lands. We created model legislation to harmonize state land management policies and support the safe operation, consistent regulation, and reasonable use of e-bikes on public lands.This model legislation was introduced in Texas, which provides clear rules for riding e-bikes in state parks and gives officials the tools to exclude unsafe electric devices from public trails and prevent misleading e-bike sales.

Learn more about our model legislation on Class 1 e-bike access here, and sign up for our Recreation and Public Lands Newsletter to stay up to date on PeopleForBikes’ work advancing recreation-focused legislation.

Reimagining Los Angeles’ Transportation System

Looking ahead to the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles, and following two major wins in 2024 at the city and state levels, PeopleForBikes is working alongside local advocates and bike companies to champion an overhaul of Los Angeles’ transportation system to include more safe and connected bike infrastructure. Leveraging the attention on and injection of funding into Los Angeles ahead of 2028, we are proud to support the Festival Trail, a multimodal network that links and expands on existing projects to connect residents and visitors to LA28 venues and several of Los Angeles’ famous attractions without needing a car. We are also advocating for mobility hubs that feature bike share stations and bike parking at major transit stations. At the state level, we supported legislation that would provide $3.5 billion for active transportation projects in Los Angeles. 

These investments in preparation for the Olympics can benefit Los Angeles far beyond 2028 by supporting mobility opportunities for all Angelenos, particularly in communities that have been historically underserved by public transportation. This is also a chance to show that transformation in one of America’s most car-centric cities is possible and provide a model for other cities to transform their transportation networks to cater the needs of all road users, regardless of whether people walk, ride a bike, take transit, or drive a car.