[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 727 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

  1st Session
                                H. R. 727


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 7, 2001

    Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, 
                      Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
  To amend the Consumer Product Safety Act to provide that low-speed 
      electric bicycles are consumer products subject to such Act.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY ACT.

    The Consumer Product Safety Act (15 U.S.C. 2051 et seq.) is amended 
by adding at the end the following:

                     ``low-speed electric bicycles

    ``Sec. 38. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, low-
speed electric bicycles are consumer products within the meaning of 
section 3(a)(1) and shall be subject to the Commission regulations 
published at section 1500.18(a)(12) and part 1512 of title 16, Code of 
Federal Regulations.
    ``(b) For the purpose of this section, the term `low-speed electric 
bicycle' means a two- or three-wheeled vehicle with fully operable 
pedals and an electric motor of less than 750 watts (1 h.p.), whose 
maximum speed on a paved level surface, when powered solely by such a 
motor while ridden by an operator who weighs 170 pounds, is less than 
20 mph.
    ``(c) To further protect the safety of consumers who ride low-speed 
electric bicycles, the Commission may promulgate new or amended 
requirements applicable to such vehicles as necessary and appropriate.
    ``(d) This section shall supersede any State law or requirement 
with respect to low-speed electric bicycles to the extent that such 
State law or requirement is more stringent than the Federal law or 
requirements referred to in subsection (a).''.

SEC. 2. MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARDS.

    For purposes of motor vehicle safety standards issued and enforced 
pursuant to chapter 301 of title 49, United States Code, a low-speed 
electric bicycle (as defined in section 38(b) of the Consumer Product 
Safety Act) shall not be considered a motor vehicle as defined by 
section 30102(6) of title 49, United States Code.

            Passed the House of Representatives March 6, 2001.

            Attest:

                                                 JEFF TRANDAHL,

                                                                 Clerk.