A proposed California state bill could soon require certain electric bikes to carry license plates and be registered with the state, marking a significant shift in how e-bikes are regulated on California roads and pathways.
Assembly Bill 1942, dubbed the E-bike Accountability Act, would apply exclusively to Class 2 and Class 3 electric bikes. Class 2 e-bikes can be operated without pedaling until they hit 20 mph, while Class 3 e-bikes top out at 28 mph, with motor assist available only when the rider is pedaling. Under current California law, e-bikes are not required to display license plates, unlike cars and motorcycles, making it harder for law enforcement to identify riders involved in dangerous behavior or traffic violations.
The bill would also require owners to carry proof of ownership. It would direct the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to create a formal registration process for qualifying e-bikes. The the DMV would be tasked with establishing how that system works.
Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, a Democratic Assemblymember from Orinda in Contra Costa County, authored the bill and introduced it earlier this month. According to KTLA, she pointed to a dramatic spike in e-bike-related injuries as the driving force behind the legislation.
“The dramatic rise in e-bike injuries across California demands immediate action,” Bauer-Kahan said in a statement released by her office. “This common-sense legislation will improve accountability and help law enforcement protect our kids and all users of our roads and pathways.”
Her office cited the Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System, which shows that e-bike injuries in California surged 18-fold between 2018 and 2023. That rapid growth in injuries has tracked closely with an explosion in e-bike use across the state.
Southern California communities have already been grappling with e-bike safety on their own. Hermosa Beach passed an emergency ordinance in 2024 that included stiff fines for certain violations. In Orange County, San Clemente banned e-bikes on the beach, pier, and coastal trails, while also prohibiting dangerous riding.
As reported by the Long Beach Post, the bill may be heard in committee as soon as March 16.
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