What the Bill Would Change

• California sidewalks would carry a statewide 10 mph presumptive speed limit.
• E-bike sellers could face fines for failing to provide required safety disclosures.
• New e-bikes would eventually need permanent labels, lights and other equipment.

By Samuel López | USA Herald

California may soon impose a statewide 10 mph sidewalk speed limit as lawmakers move to confront a sharp rise in crashes involving electric bicycles and other fast-moving devices.

Assembly Bill 2346, authored by Assemblymember Lori Wilson, D-Suisun City, was presented to Gov. Gavin Newsom on August 25 after clearing the Senate 38–0 and the Assembly 77–0.

If signed, the measure would establish a “prima facie” speed limit of 10 mph on California sidewalks beginning January 1, 2027. The legal language is significant because it creates an enforceable presumptive limit for people operating bicycles, scooters and other covered wheeled devices in spaces shared with pedestrians.

A conviction under the proposed sidewalk provision would not add a point to a motorist’s driving record. Violations could nevertheless result in citations, with enforcement potentially relying on radar or an officer pacing the rider.

Supporters say the legislation responds to an increasingly visible public-safety problem. California crashes involving e-bikes reportedly climbed from only two in 2018 to 1,506 in 2024, according to researchers analyzing statewide collision data. The figures may include some faster e-motos incorrectly identified as legal electric bicycles, but the overall trend points to growing danger as powerful devices become more common.

“This was about behavior change,” Wilson said, emphasizing that the legislation was not designed to prohibit e-bike access.

The California Medical Association sponsored AB 2346 after physicians reported treating an alarming number of serious and traumatic injuries involving electric bicycles, particularly near sidewalks, crosswalks and pedestrians.

The bill would also impose new legal duties on e-bike manufacturers, distributors and retailers.

At or before a sale, customers would have to receive written disclosures identifying the bicycle’s classification, maximum speed, continuous and peak motor wattage, age restrictions, helmet requirements and applicable California laws. Sellers would also be required to provide access to the California Highway Patrol’s safety program and recommend that riders younger than 16 remain below 15 mph.

Businesses that violate the disclosure or labeling requirements could face fines of up to $500 for a first conviction, $750 for a second qualifying conviction and $1,000 for subsequent convictions.

Manufacturers and distributors would have to permanently label each e-bike with its classification, top assisted speed and motor wattage.

Beginning in 2029, all new e-bikes manufactured, sold or offered for sale in California would also need qualifying front and rear lamps. Class 2 models would additionally require speedometers.

AB 2346 would give local governments clearer authority to establish 15 or 20 mph limits on bicycle paths and multiuse trails. A 10-mph restriction could be used in limited areas with heavy pedestrian traffic or visibility problems, provided proper signs are posted.

Some cycling and street-safety organizations initially opposed the proposal, arguing that it could unfairly restrict lawful e-bike use. Several groups withdrew their opposition after amendments raised the proposed sidewalk limit from 5 to 10 mph.

Industry organization PeopleForBikes remained opposed, contending that the mandatory lighting provisions would extend beyond California’s existing requirement that bicycles use lights when operated at night.

The measure now rests with Newsom. His decision will determine whether California adopts one of the nation’s most comprehensive statewide frameworks for regulating e-bike sales, equipment and speed in pedestrian spaces.

About the Author

Samuel López is a Senior Legal Analyst, investigative journalist and legal researcher with more than two decades of experience examining statutes, regulatory disputes, public-safety policy and complex litigation. His legal background allows him to translate developing legislation and its real-world consequences into clear, fact-driven reporting for the public.

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