LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A bill that would treat electric-assist bicycles the same as regular bikes has won first-round approval from Nebraska lawmakers.

Senators advanced the proposal on Monday with a 33-0 vote. The bill would allow electric-assist bicycles to use bike lanes and bike paths. They would be regulated as bicycles instead of motor vehicles, which have stricter requirements.

Sen. Jim Smith of Papillion says he introduced the bill so that people with joint pain or other physical ailments can continue to ride bikes. An electric motor gives riders a power boost that can be used on steep hills.

The bill would apply to electric motors that produce no more than one horsepower, and which are able to propel the bicycle at no more than 20 mph.