Cyclists and campaigners in Iowa are relieved a controversial bill has been pulled by lawmakers following criticism of the proposal to ban those on bicycles from roads with speed limits above 25mph, with violation of the bill punishable by up to 30 days in jail and fines up to $855.

There remain concerns that similar legislation could appear again in the future, cycling campaigners having opposed the proposal and labelled it “the most anti-biking bill in the history of the Iowa legislature”. A police chief behind it stressed the proposal was just a “starting point” for policy, but the proposal as submitted has been pulled.

BikeIowa reported the bill would have seen bikes and e-bikes banned from all roads with speed limits faster than 25mph. Additionally, a certain classification of e-bike would have been banned from multi-use trails state-wide, and there were questions about whether the legislation would even outlaw bike couriers and package delivery by bicycle. Cyclists also expressed concern that gravel races and other cycling events would be reliant on “special permission” to go ahead.

Any violation of the bill, such as riding a bike on a 30 mph road, would be a simple misdemeanour, punishable by up to 30 days in jail and fines up to about $855.

“That’s not just a citation,” BikeIowa warned. “That’s a criminal record for everyone from kids riding to school, to adults commuting, to visitors touring Iowa trails.”

As per the legislator, the proposal included:

A person shall not use a device on a roadway with a speed above twenty-five miles per hour.

The bill prohibits a person using a device from carrying a package, bundle, or article that prevents the person from keeping the person’s hands on the handlebar or other steering mechanism of the device at all times.

The bill prohibits using a device at a rate of speed greater than 20 miles per hour on a sidewalk or multi-use trail, and prohibits the use of a Class 3 low-speed electric bicycle on a sidewalk or multi-use trail.

A Class 3 electric bike refers to “a low-speed electric bicycle equipped with a motor that may be used to provide assistance only when the rider is pedalling and that ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches a speed of twenty-eight miles per hour or more”.

The bill has now been pulled, but campaigners have urged cyclists to continue to contact their representatives to express opposition to such proposals returning in future.

Speaking on local news, the executive director of the Iowa Bicycle Coalition, Luke Hoffman, said: “We believe this is the most anti-biking bill in the history of the Iowa legislature.”

The bill’s official sponsor was the House Public Safety Committee and it was supported by law-enforcement groups across the state. It would have categorised bicycles, e-bikes, scooters, and similar personal transportation devices in one group and introduced stricter punishments for offences.

BikeIowa warned: “HSB 637 isn’t a bike safety bill — it’s a bike restriction bill. It rewrites decades of modern cycling policy in one piece of legislation. It criminalises everyday behaviour that takes place on streets, sidewalks, and trails state-wide. It threatens bike culture, commuting, tourism, and economic activity tied to bikes and active transportation. It likely carries unintended consequences for non-motorised users beyond bikes.”

Campaigners were relieved to hear the bill was pulled last week, one of its backers, Waukee Police Chief Chad McCluskey, suggesting the proposal was merely intended as a “starting point for the discussions”.