Electric bicycles: required equipment.

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not specify the exact effective date.

Electric Bicycles: Required Equipment

AB-544 requires electric bicycles to have safety equipment like red reflectors or lights at all times and mandates minors riding them to wear helmets and complete a specialized safety course.

What This Bill Does

• Requires electric bicycles to be equipped with a red reflector or light that is visible from 500 feet away, regardless of the time of day.
• Expands helmet requirements for minors who ride electric bicycles to include proof of completion of a specialized safety course.

Who It Names or Affects

• People who ride electric bicycles
• Minors under a certain age who ride electric bicycles

Terms To Know

Electric bicycle

A bicycle with fully operable pedals and an electric motor that does not exceed 750 watts of power.

Infraction

A minor violation of the law, usually punishable by a fine but not jail time.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify an exact effective date.
• It is unclear how local agencies will implement these new requirements.

Official Summary Text

AB 544, Davies.
Electric bicycles: required equipment.
(1) Existing law requires a bicycle operated during darkness on a highway, sidewalk, or bikeway to be equipped with, among other things, a red reflector or a solid or flashing red light with a built-in reflector on the rear that is visible from a distance of 500 feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful upper beams of headlamps on a motor vehicle. Existing law defines “bicycle” for these purposes to, among other things, include an electric bicycle. Existing law defines an electric bicycle as a bicycle equipped with fully operable pedals and an electric motor that does not exceed 750 watts of power and categorizes electric bicycles into 3 classes. A violation of the provisions relating to the requirements for equipping a bicycle or an electric bicycle is punishable as an infraction.
This bill would require an electric
bicycle during all hours to be equipped with a red reflector or a solid or flashing red light with a built-in reflector on the rear that is visible from a distance of 500 feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful upper beams of headlamps on a motor vehicle. By expanding the requirements for equipping an electric bicycle, the violation of which would be an infraction, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
(2) Existing law requires a minor to wear a properly fitted and fastened helmet when engaged in specified activities, including operating a bicycle, nonmotorized scooter, or skateboard or wearing in-line or roller skates and requires that the helmet meet the standards of the American Society for Testing and Materials or the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission. Existing law prohibits a record of a violation of those provisions from being transmitted to the court and prohibits the imposition of a fee if the
parent or guardian of the minor delivers proof that the minor has a helmet that meets specific standards and has completed a bicycle safety course, as specified. Existing law makes a violation of these provisions an infraction punishable by a fine of not more than $25, except as specified.
This bill would, for a violation of these provisions involving an electric bicycle, prohibit a record of a violation from being transmitted to the court and the imposition of a fee if the parent or guardian of the minor delivers proof that the minor has a helmet that meets the specified safety standards and has completed a specialized electric bicycle safety course. The bill would also specify that the specialized electric bicycle safety course developed by the Department of the California Highway Patrol satisfies the requirement that a person complete a specialized electric bicycle safety course. By imposing new requirements with respect to electric bicycles, the violation of
which would be an infraction, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
(3) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Current Bill Text

Download Bill PDF