SB 956 California Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Vehicles: Electric Bicycle Special License Plate Pilot Program.

Summary

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. 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. 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.

Issues: ✓ Transportation

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Feb 2, 2026 Last action Apr 20, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

04/06/26 - Amended Senate → SB956 · 3 edits

MINOR

This diff reflects a reformatting of SB 956 from a traditional print-style legislative document to a web-based presentation format. The substantive bill content - including the Orange County electric bicycle special license plate pilot program, local ordinance authority provisions, and all section amendments - is identical between the two versions. No policy changes were made.

TECHNICAL

The bill was reformatted from a print-style layout with line numbers, page breaks, and column formatting to a web-based presentation with navigation menus, search tools, version history, and paragraph-based text layout.

Website navigation elements were added including quick search, bill information links, version history (showing 04/06/26 Amended Senate, 03/09/26 Amended Senate, 02/02/26 Introduced), publication date, and links to related resources such as votes, history, bill analysis, and compare versions.

Print formatting elements were removed including line numbers, page number headers (e.g., '97 SB 956 -2-'), column layout markers, and the old-style header block with the bill number and introduction date in a separate format.

03/09/26 - Amended Senate → 04/06/26 - Amended Senate · 7 edits · Apr 6, 2026

MODERATE

The April 6 amendment significantly expands SB 956 by adding a new Electric Bicycle Special License Plate Pilot Program for Orange County (new Article 8.7, Sections 5180-5183), which would require e-bikes to display special license plates with escalating fines and mandatory training for violations. It also amends Section 39002 to carve electric bicycles out of the existing protection that prevents localities from prohibiting unlicensed bicycle operation, effectively allowing local e-bike registration requirements. The bill's scope shifted from general local authority over e-bikes to a concrete pilot program with enforcement mechanisms.

SCOPE

New Article 8.7 (Sections 5180-5183) creates an Electric Bicycle Special License Plate Pilot Program authorizing Orange County to require special license plates on electric bicycles, with the authority sunsetting on January 1, 2032.

Section 39002 is amended to add an exception: a city or county that adopts a bicycle licensing ordinance may still prohibit operation of an unlicensed electric bicycle, even though it cannot prohibit unlicensed regular bicycles. This removes the prior blanket protection for all unlicensed bicycles.

ENFORCEMENT

Section 5182 creates a new infraction for operating an e-bike in violation of the pilot program, with escalating fines of $100 (first offense), $200 (second), and $250 (subsequent), plus mandatory attendance at a CHP-approved electric bicycle training course.

New Section 39002(b) makes it unlawful to tamper with, destroy, mutilate, or alter license indicia, registration forms, serial numbers, or identifying marks on any bicycle frame licensed under the Vehicle Code.

REQUIREMENT

Section 5181 requires Orange County to submit a report to the Legislature by January 1, 2031, covering registration numbers, fees collected, operational costs, citation and accident data comparing registered vs. unregistered e-bikes, compliance rates, and program effectiveness.

TECHNICAL

The prior final section stating 'It is the intent of the Legislature to draft legislation relating to electric bicycles' was removed, as the bill now contains substantive operative provisions rather than just a statement of legislative intent.

FISCAL

Fiscal note changed from 'Fiscal committee: no' to 'yes' and 'State-mandated local program: no' to 'yes' because the new infraction creates state-mandated costs for local agencies, though the bill states no reimbursement is required under Article XIII B of the California Constitution.

02/02/26 - Introduced → 03/09/26 - Amended Senate · 7 edits · Mar 9, 2026

MODERATE

SB 956 was transformed from a placeholder bill that merely stated legislative intent to draft e-bike legislation into a substantive bill granting local governments broad authority to regulate electric bicycles. The amended version allows cities and counties to set their own speed limits, age requirements, helmet rules, registration requirements, and operational rules for e-bikes, and can even permit riders under 16 to operate class 3 e-bikes (which state law otherwise prohibits). This represents a major shift from uniform state regulation toward local control over e-bike policy.

SCOPE

Section 312.5(b) now states that e-bike riders are subject to bicycle operation laws 'unless a local ordinance provides otherwise,' creating a general exemption from state-level bicycle rules when a locality has enacted its own ordinance.

New Section 21200.1 explicitly declares that nothing in the Vehicle Code article restricts a city, county, or city and county from adopting and enforcing local ordinances regulating e-bike operation, registration, speed limits, and equipment requirements consistent with general safety and public welfare.

REQUIREMENT

New Section 21206.5 authorizes local authorities to regulate e-bike operation on streets, bikeways, and bicycle paths; impose speed limits, age requirements, and equipment standards including helmet rules; issue license plates or require registration; and enforce these rules through local law enforcement.

The state helmet requirement for class 3 e-bike operators and passengers (Section 21213) now includes the same local ordinance exception, allowing a locality to modify or waive the helmet rule.

ELIGIBILITY

The state prohibition on persons under 16 operating a class 3 e-bike (Section 21213) now includes the exception 'except as otherwise provided by local ordinance adopted pursuant to Section 21206.5,' meaning a locality can allow younger riders.

DEFINITION

The definition of electric bicycle in Section 312.5 changes the motor power threshold from 'less than 750 watts' to 'does not exceed 750 watts,' which technically includes exactly 750 watts rather than excluding it.

TECHNICAL

A new paragraph (4) in Section 312.5 allows class 1 or class 3 e-bikes to have start assistance or a walk mode that propels the bike on motor power alone up to 3.7 mph, accommodating newer e-bike features.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Apr 6, 2026

Upper · Passed

From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on TRANS.

upper

Apr 1, 2026

Upper · Passed

April 14 hearing postponed by committee.

upper

Mar 18, 2026

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on TRANS.

upper

Mar 9, 2026

Upper · Passed

From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on RLS.

upper

Feb 11, 2026

Committee

Referred to Com. on RLS.

upper

Feb 2, 2026

Introduced

Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors