PLEASANT HILL — In light of recent reporting highlighting rising youth e-bike injuries across the Bay Area, Vice Mayor Andrei Obolenskiy expressed support for the E-Bike Accountability Act, introduced by Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan on Friday.
The legislation would require Department of Motor Vehicle registration for certain Class 2 and Class 3 e-bikes, mandate license plate display and strengthen accountability standards intended to improve safety and enforcement.
Obolenskiy noted that Pleasant Hill has been engaged on this issue well before the current legislative proposal.
“In 2024, while serving as Chair of the Iron Horse Trail Commission alongside Metropolitan Transportation Commission representatives and now-Danville Mayor Newell Arnerich, we began raising concerns about emerging e-bike safety issues along the regional trail system,” Obolenskiy said. “Before I was elected to the Pleasant Hill City Council, we were already convening conversations with local leaders and law enforcement about education, enforcement challenges and the need for clearer policy tools.”
He added that the issue has become personal for his family.
“Just this month, my son underwent an MRI following an e-bike accident,” Obolenskiy said. “As a father, I believe strongly in outdoor activity and youth independence. But we also need clear standards and practical accountability tools so families understand the risks and officers can respond appropriately.”
Obolenskiy emphasized that education must remain central but that clearer statewide regulations are necessary to address gaps between device classification and real-world speeds.
“We are not seeking to limit independence,” he said. “We are working to ensure that families understand what they are purchasing and that communities have the tools to prevent avoidable injuries.”
In the meantime, Pleasant Hill will continue collaborating with regional partners, schools and public safety agencies, including school resource officers and outreach to parents, to promote responsible riding and youth safety.
