California E-Bike Bill Could Require Training & Licensing for Riders
A new California e-bike bill could change the rules around who can ride electric bicycles, and may place additional restrictions on those that do.
The California e-bike bill — Assembly Bill 530 — is currently working its way through the state legislature, according to FOX 5 San Diego.
If the California e-bike bill passes in its current form, it would implement the following restrictions:
- Requiring anyone who doesn’t have a driver’s license to take an online written test and have state-issued ID before riding an e-bike.
- Establish an e-bike training program in partnership with the California DMV and California Highway Patrol.
- Ban people under the age of 12 from riding e-bikes in the state.
E-bikes are a popular form of transportation for those in coastal areas of San Diego. People living in Encinitas, for example, are used to seeing young kids riding their e-bikes around town, as well as two and from school.
However, e-bikes not without their dangers. For example, the City of Encinitas declared an emergency after a 15-year-old died while riding an e-bike in June.
Local school officials and police have also called for stricter rules surrounding e-bike usage, bike safety education, and other stipulations. Those are all things that the California e-bike bill would address.
The bill was sponsored by Assemblymember Tasha Boerner, who represents coastal San Diego areas like Carlsbad, Encinitas, La Jolla, and Del Mar.
“As a mother and a legislator, I believe that we must act to prevent our youth from injuries and educate parents on the promise and responsibility of e-bikes, and AB 530 is another step to increase their safety while sharing the road,” Boerner said in a statement distributed to media.
There’s no clear answer on when the bill might pass, but it’s due to go before a committee soon.
