Folsom Holds Off on E-Bike Rules, Orders Revisions

Last Updated on September 10, 2026 by Kristina

Update – September 10, 2026: This story has been revised to reflect the Folsom City Council’s September 8 meeting. Council members did not formally introduce Ordinance No. 1376 or Ordinance No. 1377 as written. Instead, they directed city staff to combine the proposals and return with revised rules.

FOLSOM, California – September 10, 2026: Folsom is still considering new rules for e-bikes and other electric conveyances, but the two ordinances presented September 8 did not advance as written. The proposed new restrictions are not currently in effect.

Riders can review the broader statewide rules in my California E-Bike Laws guide while Folsom works on revised local language.

You can also follow the latest Electric Bike News for updates on local ordinances, state legislation, enforcement, and other rules affecting riders.

Current Status: Council Orders Revisions

The Folsom City Council considered Ordinance No. 1376 and Ordinance No. 1377 during its September 8 meeting but did not formally introduce either measure.

Instead, council members directed staff to combine the two proposals and return with revised language. According to post-meeting reporting, council members wanted covered electric devices to be allowed on paved paths in city parks at lower speeds rather than adopting the broader park restriction as written. They also asked staff to strengthen the proposed penalties for violations.

No specific new park-path speed limit was adopted at the meeting, and I have not found a confirmed date for the revised ordinance to return to the council. Folsom’s existing 15-mph limit on its Class I trail network remains in place.

What Ordinance 1376 Originally Proposed

Ordinance No. 1376 was presented as a proposal to add a new Chapter 10.44 to the Folsom Municipal Code regulating e-bikes and other electric conveyances.

According to the city’s September 3 notice, the proposal would generally have prohibited operating these devices in parks, playgrounds, and school grounds unless signs specifically authorized their use.

The proposed ordinance also targeted several types of unsafe riding behavior, including:

• Performing stunts.
• Carrying passengers on a device that is not designed for them.
• Failing to yield to pedestrians.
• Using a handheld phone while riding.
• Disregarding posted signs and restrictions.

Because the council sent the proposals back for revisions, riders should not assume those original provisions will appear unchanged in the next version.

What Ordinance 1377 Originally Proposed

Ordinance No. 1377 was presented as an amendment to Section 10.40 of the Folsom Municipal Code focused on riding behavior along the city’s Class I bicycle path network.

The proposal would prohibit unsafe riding and support enforcement of the city’s existing 15-mph trail speed limit.

Folsom already tells cyclists and e-bike riders using its trail network to maintain a safe speed and follow the posted 15-mph limit. The September 8 council action did not eliminate that existing trail rule.

Why Folsom Is Considering New E-Bike Rules

The proposals follow months of discussion about e-bike and electric-motorcycle safety, particularly involving younger riders.

A February 2026 Folsom Traffic Safety Committee staff report lists 10 e-bike collisions in 2023, 11 in 2024, and 22 in 2025. It says 72% involved juveniles and 70% listed the e-bike rider as primarily at fault.

Post-meeting reporting also said Police Chief Adam Green told the council that the department had received more than 580 calls for service involving e-conveyances in 2026 through the September 8 meeting, already exceeding the more than 540 calls reported for all of 2025.

Folsom police have also been conducting education and enforcement efforts involving e-bikes and higher-powered electric motorcycles. Those efforts have included school outreach, rider education, citations, and the towing of vehicles that police determined were being operated illegally.

Legal E-Bikes and Electric Motorcycles Are Not the Same Thing

One issue running through Folsom’s discussions has been the difference between legal e-bikes and much faster electric motorcycles or dirt-bike-style vehicles that may look similar from a distance.

California recognizes Class 1, Class 2, and Class 3 electric bicycles. You can see how the three categories differ in my guide to e-bike classes.

Folsom police have repeatedly warned that higher-powered electric motorcycles can fall under different licensing, registration, helmet, and access requirements. Those vehicles should not automatically be treated as legal e-bikes simply because they are electric and have two wheels.

Who Could Be Affected?

If revised rules eventually become law, the changes could matter to riders using e-bikes and other covered electric conveyances in Folsom parks, playground areas, school grounds, and the city’s Class I trail system.

Parents of younger riders also have reason to pay attention. Juvenile riding has been a major focus of the city’s safety discussions and enforcement efforts.

The practical effect will depend on the language staff brings back and what the council ultimately adopts. The September 8 discussion indicates council members want to target unsafe riding while reconsidering how broadly the rules should restrict riding in parks.

What the Council Did Not Do

The September 8 meeting did not create a new citywide e-bike ban, and the council did not adopt the two proposed ordinances as written.

The original measures focused on particular locations, unsafe behavior, and enforcement of the existing trail speed limit. The council’s decision to request revisions means the final language could differ materially from what was presented before the meeting.

The proposals also should not be confused with California’s statewide e-bike classification system. Any future Folsom rules would operate alongside applicable state law.

What Happens Next?

City staff has been directed to combine the two proposals, incorporate the council’s feedback, and return with revised ordinance language.

The city’s meeting archive lists September 22 as Folsom’s next regular City Council meeting, but that does not by itself mean the revised e-bike proposal will return on that date. Until a new agenda or city notice confirms the timing, riders should treat the return date as unresolved.

I will update this story again if the city publishes revised text, formally introduces a replacement ordinance, adopts new rules, or announces an effective date.

My Take

I think the September 8 discussion shows why it matters to separate unsafe riding from ordinary e-bike use. Council members clearly heard the safety complaints, but they also stopped short of approving the broader restrictions as written.

Allowing lower-speed riding on paved park paths while targeting stunts, failure to yield, and other dangerous behavior could become a more focused approach. The details will matter, especially the speed language, penalties, and exactly which devices and locations are covered.

For now, the most important point for riders is simple: the proposed September 8 restrictions did not become law at that meeting, and the next version still needs to come back before the council.

📰 How This Story Was Verified

This report is based on available official documents, agency statements, meeting records, court filings, or other primary sources, with reliable reporting used for additional context. I clearly distinguish proposals from rules that have been finally approved or taken effect.

Sources

• City of Folsom – Proposed E-Bike and E-Conveyance Regulations Headed to City Council
• City of Folsom – September 8 City Council Meeting Archive
• City of Folsom – City Council Meetings, Agendas, and Minutes
• Folsom Police Department – E-Bikes, E-Scooters, and E-Motorcycles
• City of Folsom – Trail Rules and 15 MPH Speed Limit
• Folsom Traffic Safety Committee – February 2026 E-Bike Program Update
• Sacramento Bee reporting – Folsom weighing tougher e-bike and e-moto rules