Bay Area

Why this Bill Fails California and the East Bay Community:

It Ignores the Real Danger: The leading cause of traffic violence, especially for bike riders, is that of outdated street design and heavy vehicular traffic. We need protected bikeway networks for all ages and abilities, not license plates.

It Targets the Wrong Problem: Most “e-bike” safety concerns stem from illegal “e-motos” or hacked devices that operate in excess of legal speeds, not the legal Class 2 and 3 bikes used by families, commuters, and workers.

It Punishes Sustainable Choices: While a gas car emits 374 g of CO2 per mile, an e-bike emits only 8g. By adding DMV-style red tape to e-bikes, we discourage the exact behavior needed to meet the state’s ambitious climate goals.

It Enables Biased Policing: In 2022, California abolished local bike registration requirements (AB 1909) in part because they were used as a pretext for biased stops. Reintroducing regulation and plate requirements provides a new tool for discriminatory enforcement.