BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                    AB 1096


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          Date of Hearing:  May 13, 2015


                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS


                                 Jimmy Gomez, Chair


          AB  
          1096 (Chiu) - As Amended April 29, 2015


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          Urgency:  No  State Mandated Local Program:  YesReimbursable:   
          No


          SUMMARY:


          This bill defines classes of electric bicycles and establishes  
          conditions for their operation. Specifically, this bill:









                                                                    AB 1096


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          1)Defines an "electric bicycle" as a bicycle equipped with fully  
            operable pedals and an electric motor of less than 750 watts,  
            and establishes three classes of such bikes, as specified.


          2)Requires manufacturers and distributors of electric bicycles,  
            on or after January 1, 2017, to apply a specified label that  
            is permanently affixed in a prominent location.


          3)Prohibits anyone under 16 from operating a Class 3 electric  
            bicycle, which has motor that ceases assisting the rider above  
            28 miles per hour, and requires anyone riding on a Class 3  
            bicycle to wear a helmet.


          4)Prohibits the operation of a Class 3 electric bicycle on a  
            bicycle path or trail, bikeway, bicycle lane, equestrian  
            trail, or hiking or recreational trail, unless it is within or  
            adjacent to a roadway or unless allowed by the local  
            government entity having jurisdiction over such path or trail,  
            and authorizes these entities to also prohibit the operation  
            of Class 1 and Class 2 electric bicycles on that path or  
            trail.


          FISCAL EFFECT:


          Minor nonreimbursable state-mandated costs to local governments  
          for enforcement, offset to some extent by fine revenues.


          COMMENTS:


          Background and Purpose. Current law provides for two categories  
          of motorized bicycle. Those in the first category have a maximum  








                                                                    AB 1096


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          allowable speed of 30 mph, pedals for human propulsion, and a  
          motor that produces no more than four horsepower.  Bicycles in  
          the second category have a maximum allowable speed of 20 mph, a  
          1,000-watt (approximately 1.4 horsepower) motor, and pedals for  
          human propulsion. This 20-year-old statute did not conceive of  
          the types of electric bicycles that exist today.





          According to the author, "Modern electric motor-assisted  
          bicycles are designed to behave almost exactly like a regular  
          bicycle - just easier to pedal - but they are regulated as  
          'motorized bicycles' with restrictions that bar their use on  
          most bicycle paths.  Ambiguous language in the description of  
          electric bikes creates confusion for manufacturers and consumers  
          in this fast-growing market.  AB 1096 would create improved  
          definitions of electric bikes and appropriately permit more  
          access to trails and paths."





          Analysis Prepared by:Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916)  
          319-2081