Lawmakers try to get a grip on dangerous e-bike behavior

By Damon Conklin, legislative advocate (transportation)

Legislators are racing to address some of the unintended side effects of e-bikes’ sudden popularity, particularly among younger riders. Although the surge in usage has expanded mobility and reduced car emissions, it has also created real public safety challenges on streets, sidewalks, school campuses, and other community spaces.

Late last year, Cal Cities began to deliberatively update its e-bike policy, starting with a member survey and roundtable with local elected officials and law enforcement. That effort led to a working group, which developed policy guidance on rider education, infrastructure safety, and manufacturing and marketing standards. These efforts have created a balanced framework that seeks to improve public safety while preserving local control.

Which bills is Cal Cites engaged on?

Lawmakers have introduced at least 10 e-bike measures, three of which Cal Cities supports: AB 1569 (Davies), AB 1614 (Dixon), and AB 2346 (Wilson). The three measures all address common issues with e-bikes while balancing statewide consistency with local flexibility.

AB 1569 seeks to take a preventative approach by focusing on education. It would require students to complete a safety training program focused on traffic laws, right-of-way, and safe operation before parking on school campuses. For cities, this is critical. Students are frequent peak-hour riders, and many collisions stem from a lack of basic safety knowledge. The measure is receiving pushback from schools for its potential costs.

AB 1614 addresses safety on Class I bikeways — multiuse paths that serve cyclists, pedestrians, and families. It would enact a one rider per seat to prevent multiple passengers “hanging off” an e-bike designed for one passenger. The measure reinforces a simple principle: Safe infrastructure must be matched by safe behavior.

AB 2346 would establish commonsense equipment standards for e-bikes, including speedometers and lighting, to improve speed awareness and visibility. It would also require manufacturers and retailers to provide clear information on California’s e-bike laws at the point of sale, addressing a persistent lack of public awareness that often underlies unsafe behavior.

Equally important, AB 2346 would allow cities to set reasonable speed limits on bike paths and multiuse trails and establish baseline limits in high pedestrian areas. It also includes added protections for younger riders.

Taken together, these measures form a cohesive strategy grounded in education, infrastructure safety, equipment standards, and local control. All three measures have been referred to the Assembly Transportation Committee, which will hear the measures before May 1.

What’s next?

Cal Cities is also working with legislators on several other proposals. SB 1167 (Blakespear) would reclassify some more powerful e-bikes as mopeds, thus requiring licensing. AB 1942 (Bauer-Kahan) would require registration and license plates for Class 2 and 3 e-bikes. AB 1557 (Papan) would close a loophole that the author says allows e-motorcycles to be marketed as e-bikes.  

Cal Cities will take a formal position on these measures after the Cal Cities Board adopts an updated e-bike policy in April. 

The Senate and Assembly Transportation Committee will likely convene an informational hearing on e-bike policies this summer, which will give cities an opportunity to share more details about the challenges that unsafe e-bike riders create. 

For more information on how to get involved, please contact your regional public affairs manager.