La Mesa City Council approves e-bike safety law for children under 12
by Eliza Bethalper | May 23, 2026 7:53 pm
By Paul Levikow
May 23, 2026 (La Mesa) — The La Mesa City Council voted 4-1 on May 12 to adopt a new electric bicycle safety ordinance prohibiting children under age 12 from operating Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes within city limits. Councilmember Laura Lothian cast the lone dissenting vote.
The ordinance was adopted under California’s San Diego Electric Bicycle Safety Pilot Program authorized through Assembly Bill 2234 and will take effect 30 days after adoption. For the first 60 days after the law takes effect, La Mesa Police Department officers will issue warnings only. After that educational period, violations may result in a $25 administrative citation. Parents or guardians can avoid paying the fine if the child completes an approved electric bicycle safety training course within 120 days of the citation.
New Ordinance
The ordinance applies specifically to Class 1 and Class 2 electric bicycles. Under California law, a Class 1 e-bike provides motor assistance only while pedaling and stops assisting at 20 miles per hour. A Class 2 e-bike can propel the bicycle using a throttle without pedaling but also tops out at 20 miles per hour. Class 3 e-bikes, which can reach 28 miles per hour with pedal assistance, are already restricted statewide to riders age 16 and older.
City officials said the measure is designed to improve safety for riders, pedestrians and motorists while allowing continued use of e-bikes by teens and adults. In a statement released after the vote, City Manager Greg Humora said the ordinance focuses initially on education.
“During the first 60 days after the ordinance takes effect, the focus will remain on education and awareness, and only warning notices will be issued for violations,” Humora said. “After that period, violations may result in a $25 administrative citation, with the option to complete an approved e-bike safety training course in lieu of paying the fine.”
Humora also encouraged riders and families to familiarize themselves with California e-bike laws, wear helmets, obey traffic rules and ride respectfully in shared public spaces.
Safety Concerns
Councilmember Genevieve Suzuki (photo, right), who brought the item forward, described the ordinance as a necessary public safety measure.
“This is not a radical proposal. It’s a measured, evidence-based and legally sound step that our community and our children urgently need,” Suzuki said. “This is not a question of whether we have the authority. We do. The question is whether we have the will to use it.”
Suzuki urged her council colleagues to join other San Diego County cities including Coronado, Chula Vista, Poway, San Marcos, Carlsbad and Santee that have adopted similar restrictions.
“This is not a ban on e-bikes, it is a common-sense safety measure,” Suzuki said.
Councilmember Patricia Dillard (photo, left) supported the ordinance, arguing that e-bikes present different risks than traditional bicycles.
“E-bikes are not the same as traditional bicycles, they are a new form of transportation that combines the accessibility of a bicycle with the speed and power of a motorized vehicle,” Dillard said. “Because of that, they should be treated differently under the law.”
Dillard pointed out that the city previously had little policy guidance regarding e-bikes involving younger children.
“Putting safety measures in place is not about taking away freedom,” she said. “It is about recognizing the responsibility that comes with a new type of transportation.”
Dillard added that children may not yet possess the judgment needed to safely operate motor-assisted bicycles in traffic.
“Children are still developing awareness, impulse control, and the ability to react to dangerous situations,” Dillard said. “We should not expect them to handle the risks associated with high-speed e-bikes the same way we expect adults to.”
Dillard also defended the city’s decision to act before serious injuries become more widespread.
“Why would we not create reasonable safety laws for a new form of transportation that can travel at significant speeds and interact with vehicle traffic? This is the right time to put measures in place before more preventable injuries occur,” she said. “Responsible safety policies do not mean we are against e-bikes. In fact, thoughtful regulation can help ensure e-bikes remain a safe and trusted transportation option for families and communities moving forward.”
Summing up her concerns, Dillard said, “Faster can lead to disaster.”
Vice Mayor Lauren Cazares (photo, right) said she struggled with the decision before ultimately supporting the ordinance.
“It’s better to have it and not need it, then need it and not have it when it comes to something about public safety,” Cazares said. She also called on the police department to increase enforcement of existing reckless driving and e-bike laws.
Scope of Restrictions
Opponents argued the ordinance unfairly penalizes younger children and responsible parents while failing to address reckless behavior by older riders. Councilmember Laura Lothian (photo, left) said existing laws already prohibit dangerous riding behavior.
“What’s really going on is there is danger on our streets,” Lothian said. “I believe that the proper way to protect kids and reduce danger on the street is actually to enforce already existing laws and rules. It’s already against the law to ride your bike dangerously and do those wheelies.”
Lothian warned that some families may stop using bicycles altogether because of the restrictions.
“Parents and kids won’t ride their bikes anymore,” she said. “We need to let parents make decisions with their children.”
Lothian also argued that teenagers, not younger children riding with parents, are the primary concern. “The problem is the teenagers and not the 8, 9, and 10-year-olds with their parents,” she said.
Community Response
Several residents also spoke against the ordinance during public comment. La Mesa resident Andrea Cryer, a mother of four young children, told the council she believed the proposal targeted the wrong group.
“This proposed law doesn’t address the issues and punishes the wrong population,” Cryer said.
She said she had not seen evidence showing collisions involving children under 12 riding e-bikes in La Mesa.
“This does feels like a knee-jerk reaction that would deprive parents of their right to legally purchase an e-bike for their kids,” she said.
Cryer argued the ordinance could affect families who responsibly ride together.
“This law would criminalize my kids riding to school with me beside them,” she said. “It lacks nuance and ignores the laws and distinctions between classes of bikes already in place. We are good parents, we want our kids outside getting exercise, building autonomy and confidence, and reducing our carbon footprint with supervision, helmets and respect for the rules,” Cryer said.
Instead of restrictions, she urged city leaders to invest in infrastructure and education.
“Make our roads safer. Build the infrastructure so they can ride safely through our town and don’t need to ride in the middle of busy roads,” Cryer said. “Let’s make La Mesa the safest city for kids to ride their e-bikes instead of just taking them away. Fix behavior with enforcement and education and not react with a blanket ban.”
Enforcement and Data
The ordinance also includes provisions allowing law enforcement to impound certain illegal electric motor vehicles that do not meet California’s legal e-bike definitions. In addition, the city will be required to collect detailed enforcement data under state law, including the number of traffic stops, warnings, citations and crashes involving underage riders.
Several speakers addressed the City Council before the law was passed, both in favor and against it, including comments from parents, community members, a fire union official, a planning commission member and a school board representative. The council spent approximately one hour discussing the proposal before approving it on a 4-1 vote.
The ordinance was approved by Mayor Mark Arapostathis, Vice Mayor Cazares, and councilmembers Dillard and Suzuki, with Lothian opposed.
Source URL: https://eastcountymagazine.org/la-mesa-city-council-approves-e-bike-safety-law-for-children-under-12/