Vehicles: electric bicycles.

Plain English Breakdown

The candidate explanation is accurate based on the provided official source material. No claims were removed or materially narrowed.

San Mateo Electric Bicycle Safety Pilot Program

This law allows local authorities in San Mateo County to set rules that stop children under 12 from riding certain types of electric bicycles and requires them to report on how these rules are followed.

What This Bill Does

• Allows local governments in San Mateo County to make rules about who can ride class 1 or class 2 electric bicycles.
• For the first two months, if a child under 12 rides an electric bicycle against the new rule, they get a warning instead of a fine.
• After two months, riding an electric bicycle against the rule could result in a $25 fine for the child and their parent or guardian.
• Requires local governments to run a public information campaign about these rules before they start.
• Needs local authorities to report on how many times people are stopped by police for breaking the new rules.

Who It Names or Affects

• Children under 12 years old in San Mateo County who want to ride class 1 or class 2 electric bicycles.
• Parents and guardians of children who break the new rules about riding electric bicycles.
• Local authorities in San Mateo County who will make and enforce these rules.

Terms To Know

Class 1 Electric Bicycle

An electric bicycle that helps you pedal but stops helping when you go faster than 20 miles per hour.

Class 2 Electric Bicycle

An electric bicycle that can move without pedaling, but it stops working when the bike goes faster than 20 miles per hour.

Limits and Unknowns

• The rules only apply to San Mateo County and its unincorporated areas.
• Local authorities must report on how often people are stopped for breaking these rules, but it's not clear what will happen after the reporting period ends.

Official Summary Text

AB 2595, as introduced, Papan.
Vehicles: electric bicycles.
Existing law defines an electric bicycle and classifies electric bicycles into 3 classes with different restrictions. Under existing law, a “class 1 electric bicycle” is a bicycle equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling and ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of 20 miles per hour. Under existing law, a “class 2 electric bicycle” is a bicycle equipped with a motor that may be used exclusively to propel the bicycle and is not capable of providing assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of 20 miles per hour. Under existing law, a “class 3 electric bicycle” is a bicycle equipped with a speedometer and a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling, and that ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of 28 miles per hour. Existing law prohibits a person under 16 years of age from
operating a class 3 electric bicycle.
This bill, the San Mateo Electric Bicycle Safety Pilot Program, would, until January 1, 2031, authorize a local authority within the County of San Mateo, or the County of San Mateo in unincorporated areas, to adopt an ordinance or resolution that would prohibit a person under 12 years of age from operating a class 1 or 2 electric bicycle. For the first 60 days following the adoption of an ordinance or resolution for this purpose, the bill would make a violation of the ordinance or resolution punishable by a warning notice. After 60 days, the bill would make a violation of the ordinance or resolution punishable by a fine of $25, except as specified. This bill would make a parent or legal guardian with control or custody of an unemancipated minor who violates the ordinance or resolution jointly and severally liable with the minor for the amount of the fine imposed. The bill would, if an ordinance or resolution is adopted, require
the county to, by January 1, 2030, submit a report to the Legislature that includes, among other things, the total number of traffic stops initiated for a violation of the ordinance or resolution, the results of those traffic stops, and the actions taken by a peace officer during a traffic stop, as specified. The bill would require a local authority or county to administer a public information campaign for at least 30 calendar days prior to the enactment of the ordinance or resolution, as specified.

Current Bill Text

Download Bill PDF