Illinois lawmakers are moving quickly on legislation that could fundamentally change how electric bikes, scooters, and other motorized devices are regulated throughout Illinois. Senate Bill 3336 recently advanced out of the Illinois House Transportation: Vehicles and Safety Committee with unanimous support after previously passing the Illinois Senate unanimously. This sets the stage for the bill to pass the Senate and if signed into law by Governor Pritzker would become the standing law in Illinois.
The proposal comes amid growing concern over increasingly powerful electric micromobility devices and a sharp rise in serious injury crashes involving riders, pedestrians, and motorists.
For cyclists, pedestrians, injury victims, and families across Illinois, this bill deserves close attention.
Illinois Finally Confronts the Reality of Modern E-Bikes
For years, Illinois law has treated many electric bikes similarly to traditional bicycles, despite dramatic technological changes in the marketplace. Today’s higher-powered electric bikes and e-motos are often heavier, substantially faster, and capable of causing catastrophic injuries in collisions.
Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias has made Senate Bill 3336 a legislative priority because current Illinois law has not kept pace with the realities of modern electric mobility devices.
The proposed legislation would create a legal framework for “electric micromobility devices” and impose additional requirements on certain higher-powered vehicles, including:
Registration requirements
Mandatory liability insurance
Driver’s license requirements
Speed restrictions
Additional operational regulations
As Secretary Giannoulias explained:
“It recognizes that higher speed, higher powered e-bikes and e-motos are no longer bicycles. They function more like motorcycles, and this bill treats them accordingly.”
That distinction is critical—not just from a regulatory standpoint, but from the perspective of public safety and civil liability.
Serious Injuries Are Increasing Across Illinois and Nationwide
The push for regulation follows a dramatic increase in severe injuries involving electric mobility devices.
As personal injury attorneys, we have seen first hand the severity and extent of injuries incurred by riders on e-scooters and e-bikes. Researchers at Columbia University found e-bike injuries surged nearly 300% nationwide between 2019 and 2022. Emergency departments throughout Illinois are seeing the consequences firsthand.
Dr. Kristine Cieslak of Lurie Children’s Hospital Chicago described devastating injuries involving children and young riders, including:
Traumatic brain injuries
Facial fractures
Complex fractures to elbows and forearms
Dental trauma
Long-term hospitalization and rehabilitation
These are not ordinary bicycle crashes.
Many modern electric devices accelerate rapidly, travel at unsafe speeds in mixed-use areas, and weigh significantly more than traditional bicycles. That combination creates substantial risks for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists alike.
Why Insurance Requirements Matter
One of the most significant aspects of Senate Bill 3336 is the proposed insurance requirement for certain higher-powered electric vehicles.
Representative Regan Deering referenced a constituent whose husband was killed after being struck by a motorized bike. Tragically, many victims involved in crashes with unregulated electric vehicles discover there is little or no insurance coverage available to compensate them for medical expenses, lost income, or wrongful death damages. The number of victims of crashes with e-bikes are not totally known, but the increase in the number of e-bikes and e-scooters on the roads has led to many crashes throughout Illinois.
When there is no insurance coverage, injured victims and grieving families are often left without meaningful financial recovery. Mandatory insurance requirements could help close that dangerous gap.
The Challenge: Protecting Cyclists Without Overregulating Bicycles
As bicycle advocates, we recognize the importance of balancing safety with preserving the rights of legitimate cyclists.
Not all electric bicycles are the same.
A low-speed pedal-assist commuter bicycle is fundamentally different from a high-powered electric motorcycle capable of traveling at dangerous speeds through bike lanes, sidewalks, and shared-use paths.
Illinois lawmakers must be careful not to blur those distinctions.
Cyclists throughout Illinois have fought for decades to secure safer infrastructure, equal roadway rights, and legal protections. Those gains should not be undermined by treating traditional bicycles and lawful low-speed e-bikes the same as unregulated high-performance motorized vehicles.
Clear definitions matter.
Reasonable safety regulations matter.
And accountability matters.
The Legal Questions Are Only Beginning
Regardless of whether Senate Bill 3336 ultimately becomes law, courts and insurance companies will continue confronting difficult legal questions involving electric mobility devices, including:
Whether a device legally qualifies as a bicycle or motor vehicle
Insurance coverage disputes
Speed and power classifications
Trail and roadway access
Comparative negligence issues
Helmet use
Product defects and aftermarket modifications
As these cases increase, so will the need for attorneys and lawmakers who understand both bicycle law and transportation policy.
Michael Keating’s Perspective on Illinois Transportation Law
At Keating Law Offices, we have long advocated for safer streets, stronger protections for vulnerable road users, and balanced transportation policy that protects cyclists while addressing legitimate public safety concerns.
Michael Keating brings a unique background to these issues. Before representing injured cyclists and pedestrians throughout Illinois, Michael served as counsel to the Illinois Speaker of the House, where he worked extensively on legislative and transportation matters affecting Illinois residents.
Mike Keating is considered a leading legal authority in the country regarding bicycle and micro-mobility law. Mike has also served as:
Chair of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association Legislative Committee
Chair of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association Transportation Committee
Chair of the Bicycle Law Committee for the American Association for Justice
That experience provides insight into how transportation legislation is drafted, debated, and ultimately enforced throughout Illinois.
As electric mobility technology evolves, Illinois law must evolve with it—but lawmakers must ensure those changes are thoughtful, evidence-based, and narrowly tailored to address the actual risks posed by higher-powered vehicles.
The Bottom Line
Electric bicycles and micromobility devices are now a permanent part of Illinois transportation. Many riders use them responsibly and safely every day.
But higher-powered electric vehicles operating without meaningful regulation create serious risks for pedestrians, cyclists, motorists, and riders themselves.
Senate Bill 3336 represents Illinois’ effort to bring clarity, accountability, and safety standards to a rapidly changing area of transportation law.
The key will be ensuring that lawmakers distinguish between legitimate bicycles and vehicles that function more like motorcycles—while continuing to protect the rights and safety of Illinois cyclists.
