This year, Municipal Minute will be counting down to the New
Year with updates on legislation that will be effective starting on January 1,
2026.
Public Act 104-0141 amends the Illinois Vehicle Code to
update the definition of the word “bicycle” following the recent e-bike trend. Previously,
a “bicycle,” for purposes of the Illinois Vehicle Code, was defined as: “Every
device propelled by human power upon which any person may ride, having two
tandem wheels except scooters and similar devices.”
Under this Act, the definition has been replaced with:
“Every human-powered device and every low-speed electric bicycle, as defined in
Section 1-40.10, with two or more pedals, and designated seats for the
transportation of one or more persons.”
This revision incorporates bicycles with more than two
wheels (a ‘trike’) and low-speed e-bikes. Riders of these types of bicycles
will now be required to follow the same rules of the road for regular
bicycles.
Post authored by Alexis Carter, Ancel Glink