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New California bill could redefine what counts as an e-bike

State proposal aims to close loophole on high-powered e-bikes

Calif. — A new bill at the California State Capitol aims to tighten regulations on electric bikes as lawmakers and safety advocates raise concerns about increasingly powerful models being ridden on public streets and bike paths.

Assemblymember Diane Papan, D-District 21, introduced the legislation after noticing what she describes as rapid growth in e-bike use without enough safeguards.

Papan Wants to Draw a Legal Line Between E-Bikes and Electric Motorbikes

Pretty sure the pictured bike should never be referred to as an e-bike.

California legislators are advancing a bill to tighten regulations on electric bicycles in response to a surge in crashes and serious injuries tied to high-powered models. The proposal would limit the motor output of e-bikes sold in the state to a maximum of 750 watts, aligning with existing federal e-bike definitions. It would also clamp down on two-wheeled devices capable of higher speeds that currently blur the line between bicycles and motorized vehicles.

New California bill aims to rein in powerful e-bikes as injuries spike

This new legislation would place strict limits on how powerful an e-bike's motor can be, in a move to make e-bikes safer for riders.

SAN DIEGO — Newly proposed state legislation would strictly limit the motor power of electric bikes to 750 watts, capping their speed and reclassifying more powerful models as motor-driven cycles that would require a license to operate.

New state laws help farmers, agrotourism

Assembly Bill 411, authored by Assemblymember Diane Papan, D-San Mateo, will allow small-scale, on-farm livestock carcass composting under specific guidelines. A limited number of livestock carcasses can be addressed on the rancher’s own property instead of having the carcasses hauled to a rendering plant.

Companies Are Racing to Fuel and Cool AI

Data centers that power AI use massive amounts of water and electricity. Here’s how companies are working to reduce their strain on resources

If you haven’t noticed, data centers have been sprouting up all over. And they’re mighty thirsty.

AI Boom Leads To Increased Concerns Of Environmental Impacts Of Data Centers

With The Rise Of AI, California’s Data Centers Require More Water, Energy. But By How Much?

California legislators considered dozens of bills related to artificial intelligence this year. Those numbers have spiked as lawmakers grapple with the technology’s increasing presence and possible negative consequences. One point of concern: the impact that generative AI will have on the state’s natural resources as it becomes an everyday tool for Californians.