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<ns0:Id>20250SB__095697AMD</ns0:Id>
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<ns0:ActionText>INTRODUCED</ns0:ActionText>
<ns0:ActionDate>2026-02-02</ns0:ActionDate>
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<ns0:ActionText>AMENDED_SENATE</ns0:ActionText>
<ns0:ActionDate>2026-03-09</ns0:ActionDate>
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<ns0:ActionText>AMENDED_SENATE</ns0:ActionText>
<ns0:ActionDate>2026-04-06</ns0:ActionDate>
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<ns0:SessionYear>2025</ns0:SessionYear>
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<ns0:AuthorText authorType="LEAD_AUTHOR">Introduced by Senator Choi</ns0:AuthorText>
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<ns0:Contribution>LEAD_AUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>SENATE</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Choi</ns0:Name>
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<ns0:Title>An act to amend Section 39002 of, and to add Article 8.7 (commencing with Section 5180) to Chapter 1 of Division 3 of, the Vehicle Code, relating to vehicles.</ns0:Title>
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<ns0:GeneralSubject>
<ns0:Subject>Vehicles: Electric Bicycle Special License Plate Pilot Program.</ns0:Subject>
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<html:p>Under existing law, a person riding an electric bicycle is subject to the laws pertaining to the operation of a bicycle upon a highway. For these purposes, existing law defines an electric bicycle as a bicycle equipped with fully operable pedals and an electric motor of less than 750 watts, and classifies electric bicycles into 3 classes with different restrictions, as specified. Existing law states that these provisions do not prevent local authorities, by ordinance, from regulating the registration of bicycles and the parking and operation of bicycles on pedestrian or bicycle facilities, provided such regulation is not in conflict with the Vehicle Code. Existing law prohibits a city or county, which adopts a bicycle licensing ordinance or resolution, from prohibiting the operation of an unlicensed bicycle.</html:p>
<html:p>The bill would, until January 1, 2032, authorize the County of Orange to establish a pilot program to require the display of a special license plate on electric bicycles. The bill would authorize the county to adopt ordinances or resolutions to implement the pilot program, and would make a person operating an electric bicycle in violation of this requirement guilty of an infraction punishable by specified fines and mandatory attendance of the Department of the California Highway Patrol-approved electric bicycle training course. By creating a new crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would also exempt electric bicycles from the prohibition described above. The bill would, by January 1, 2032, require the county to submit a
report to the Legislature, as specified.</html:p>
<html:p>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.</html:p>
<html:p>This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.</html:p>
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<ns0:VoteRequired>MAJORITY</ns0:VoteRequired>
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<ns0:Preamble>The people of the State of California do enact as follows:</ns0:Preamble>
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<ns0:Num>SECTION 1.</ns0:Num>
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Article 8.7 (commencing with Section 5180) is added to Chapter 1 of Division 3 of the
<ns0:DocName>Vehicle Code</ns0:DocName>
, to read:
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<ns0:LawHeading id="id_EAFC7B5D-C595-487E-8A33-25D11D6BFD00" type="ARTICLE">
<ns0:Num>8.7.</ns0:Num>
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<ns0:LawHeadingText>Electric Bicycle Special License Plate Pilot Program</ns0:LawHeadingText>
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<ns0:Num>5180.</ns0:Num>
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(a)
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Notwithstanding any other law, the County of Orange may establish a pilot program to require the display of a special license plate on electric bicycles, as defined in Section 312.5.
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(b)
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The special license plate shall be affixed to the rear of the electric bicycle and shall be clearly visible and legible at all times.
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<ns0:Num>5181.</ns0:Num>
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(a)
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The county may adopt ordinances or resolutions to implement this article, including, but not limited to, ordinances on all of the following:
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<html:p>
(1)
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Application and issuance of special license plates.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
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Plate size, placement, and visibility requirements.
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<html:p>
(3)
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Special license plate fees in an amount not to exceed the reasonable regulatory cost of issuing or renewing the special license plates.
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<html:p>
(4)
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Proof of ownership requirements, including the provision of a serial number for the registered electric bicycle.
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<html:p>
(b)
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(1)
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If an ordinance or resolution is adopted pursuant to this section, the county shall, by January 1, 2031, submit a report to the Legislature that includes all of the
following:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(A)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Total number of different electric bicycles registered, the amount of registration fees collected, and the operational costs of the program.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(B)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Data on traffic citations and accidents involving registered versus unregistered electric bicycles, and whether the special license plates aided in identifying electric bikes involved in reckless incidents.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(C)
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Analysis of the rate of compliance among owners and the effectiveness of law enforcement in identifying motorized bicycles or mopeds, as defined in Section 406, illegally classified as electric bicycles.
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<html:p>
(D)
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Evaluation of how the program affected electric bicycle usage, public safety, and potential barriers to access.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(E)
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Challenges faced by the county in issuing special license plates, maintaining a registry, and collaborating with local law enforcement.
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<html:p>
(2)
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A report submitted
pursuant to this section shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.
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<ns0:LawSection id="id_630323CB-C09D-4C3B-97D8-7003687DC368">
<ns0:Num>5182.</ns0:Num>
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<html:p>
(a)
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A person operating an electric bicycle in violation of this article is guilty of an infraction punishable by a fine not to exceed one hundred dollars ($100) for the first offense, two hundred dollars ($200) for a second offense, and two hundred fifty dollars ($250) for each subsequent offense.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
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A person operating an electric bicycle in violation of this article shall attend the Department of the California Highway Patrol-approved electric bicycle training course.
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<ns0:LawSection id="id_C8150E0C-6A8A-4A51-85F7-CA59D27FAD05">
<ns0:Num>5183.</ns0:Num>
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<html:p>This article shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2032, and as of that date is repealed.</html:p>
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<ns0:Num>SEC. 2.</ns0:Num>
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Section 39002 of the
<ns0:DocName>Vehicle Code</ns0:DocName>
is amended to read:
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<ns0:Num>39002.</ns0:Num>
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<html:p>
(a)
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A city or county, which adopts a bicycle licensing ordinance or resolution, shall not prohibit the operation of an unlicensed bicycle, except for an electric bicycle, as defined in Section 312.5.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
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It is unlawful for any person to tamper with, destroy, mutilate, or alter any license indicia or registration form, or to remove, alter, or mutilate the serial number, or the identifying marks of a licensing agency’s identifying symbol, on any bicycle frame licensed under this division.
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<ns0:Num>SEC. 3.</ns0:Num>
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No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII
<html:span class="ThinSpace"/>
B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII
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B of the California Constitution.
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