A new state law will let Burlingame and Hillsborough ban children under 12 from operating Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes beginning Jan. 1, 2027. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the measure on Wednesday, Sept. 30, according to the official legislative record.

Assembly Bill 2595, authored by Assemblymember Diane Papan (D-San Mateo), creates a pilot program in San Mateo County. It authorizes cities and towns to prohibit children under 12 from operating Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes, both with a top assisted speed of 20 mph.

Under the law’s provisions, violations receive warnings for the first 60 days after a local restriction takes effect. Afterward, violations carry a $25 fine, with parents or legal guardians sharing liability. Completing a qualifying e-bike safety course and submitting proof within 120 days provides an alternative to paying the fine.

The law does not impose the ban automatically. Each local jurisdiction must adopt its own ordinance or resolution to put the age restriction in place. The law also requires at least 30 days of public information before enactment of a local restriction.

The San Mateo County pilot expires Jan. 1, 2031. If a jurisdiction adopts a restriction, the county must submit a report to the Legislature by Jan. 1, 2030, including information about traffic stops, enforcement and serious crashes involving riders under 12.

The legislation followed the death of 4-year-old Ayden Fang in Burlingame. On Aug. 8, 2025, a chain-reaction crash on Donnelly Avenue killed Ayden after a car collided with an e-bike ridden by an 11-year-old boy, according to ABC7.

ABC7 reported that police said the e-bike rider had the right of way and was following state and local laws. Prosecutors did not file criminal charges against the driver.

A lawsuit filed by Ayden’s parents alleged that the Class 2 e-bike’s owner’s manual set a minimum operating age of 12, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

Ayden’s father, Xiaoming Fang, testified before the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors on Aug. 11 when the county introduced a separate e-bike safety ordinance. “No more children should be hurt,” Fang told supervisors, according to SFGate.

The Board of Supervisors passed that county ordinance unanimously on Aug. 25, according to county records. It takes effect Jan. 1, 2027, and imposes a 5 mph speed limit for e-bikes on sidewalks, requires riders to yield to pedestrians and sets escalating fines starting at $50.

The county named it Ayden’s Ordinance. That ordinance applies only to unincorporated areas and does not automatically apply within Burlingame or Hillsborough.