---
type: "Bill"
title: "Motorized scooter: use of helmet: maximum speed."
description: "Existing law generally prescribes the operation of a motorized scooter, defined as 2-wheeled device that has handlebars, has a floorboard that is designed to be stood upon when riding, and is powered by an electric motor or by a source other than electric power. Existing law requires a driver's license or permit to operate a motorized scooter. Existing law prohibits the operation of a motorized scooter on a highway with a speed limit in excess of 25 miles per hour unless the motorized scooter is operated within a Class II bike lane. Existing law prohibits an operator of a motorized scooter from operating the motorized scooter without wearing a properly fitted and fastened helmet meeting specified standards. Existing law prohibits a person from operating a motorized scooter at a speed in excess of 15 miles per hour. A violation of prescriptions or prohibitions regarding motorized scooters is a crime."
jurisdiction: "us/states/ca"
legislature: "California Legislature"
session: "20172018"
identifier: "AB 2989"
citation: "California AB 2989 (20172018)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["Motorized scooter: use of helmet: maximum speed."]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Flora"]
version_count: 12
action_count: 35
vote_count: 6
first_action: "2018-02-16"
last_action: "2018-09-19"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/c3a42178-ef8c-4f40-b356-c95b24e83070"
source_url: "http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB2989"
source_hash: "49c72e0d082ff00dc07a3d7639e45532b08366b1ba7580b9076eadd85690ecf1"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-ca"]
---

# California AB 2989 (20172018) — Motorized scooter: use of helmet: maximum speed.

Existing law generally prescribes the operation of a motorized scooter, defined as 2-wheeled device that has handlebars, has a floorboard that is designed to be stood upon when riding, and is powered by an electric motor or by a source other than electric power. Existing law requires a driver's license or permit to operate a motorized scooter. Existing law prohibits the operation of a motorized scooter on a highway with a speed limit in excess of 25 miles per hour unless the motorized scooter is operated within a Class II bike lane. Existing law prohibits an operator of a motorized scooter from operating the motorized scooter without wearing a properly fitted and fastened helmet meeting specified standards. Existing law prohibits a person from operating a motorized scooter at a speed in excess of 15 miles per hour. A violation of prescriptions or prohibitions regarding motorized scooters is a crime.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **02/16/18 - Introduced** (filed) — [source](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billPdf.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB2989&version=20170AB298999INT)
2. **03/22/18 - Amended Assembly** (committee substitute) — [source](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billPdf.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB2989&version=20170AB298998AMD)
3. **04/03/18 - Amended Assembly** (committee substitute) — [source](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billPdf.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB2989&version=20170AB298997AMD)
4. **04/17/18 - Amended Assembly** (committee substitute) — [source](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billPdf.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB2989&version=20170AB298996AMD)
5. **04/30/18 - Amended Assembly** (committee substitute) — [source](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billPdf.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB2989&version=20170AB298995AMD)
6. **05/25/18 - Amended Assembly** (committee substitute) — [source](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billPdf.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB2989&version=20170AB298994AMD)
7. **06/28/18 - Amended Senate** (committee substitute) — [source](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billPdf.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB2989&version=20170AB298993AMD)
8. **07/05/18 - Amended Senate** (committee substitute) — [source](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billPdf.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB2989&version=20170AB298992AMD)
9. **08/16/18 - Amended Senate** (committee substitute) — [source](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billPdf.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB2989&version=20170AB298991AMD)
10. **09/19/18 - Chaptered** (committee substitute) — [source](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billPdf.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB2989&version=20170AB298989CHP)
11. **AB2989** (committee substitute) — [source](http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB2989)
12. **08/31/18 - Enrolled** (enrolled) — [source](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billPdf.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB2989&version=20170AB298990ENR)

## Votes

- Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] — **14–0** (pass) · lower
- 3rd Reading AB2989 Flora et al. By Cannella — **33–2** (pass) · upper
- Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Appropriations] — **12–0** (pass) · upper
- AB 2989 FLORA Assembly Third Reading — **74–1** (pass) · lower
- AB 2989 FLORA Concurrence in Senate Amendments — **77–0** (pass) · lower
- Do pass as amended. — **16–0** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- Flora — primary (person)
- Chen — coauthor (person)
- Gloria — coauthor (person)
- Low — coauthor (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2018-02-16** Read first time. To print. `reading-1`
- **2018-02-17** From printer. May be heard in committee March 19.
- **2018-03-22** Referred to Com. on TRANS. `referral-committee`
- **2018-03-22** From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on TRANS. Read second time and amended. `amendment-introduction, amendment-passage, reading-2, reading-1`
- **2018-04-02** Re-referred to Com. on TRANS. `referral-committee`
- **2018-04-03** From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on TRANS. Read second time and amended. `amendment-introduction, amendment-passage, reading-2, reading-1`
- **2018-04-04** Re-referred to Com. on TRANS. `referral-committee`
- **2018-04-16** In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
- **2018-04-17** From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on TRANS. Read second time and amended. `amendment-introduction, amendment-passage, reading-2, reading-1`
- **2018-04-18** Re-referred to Com. on TRANS. `referral-committee`
- **2018-04-26** From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (April 23). `amendment-passage, committee-passage, amendment-introduction`
- **2018-04-30** Read second time and amended. `reading-1, amendment-passage, reading-2`
- **2018-05-01** Re-referred to Com. on APPR. `referral-committee`
- **2018-05-09** In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file. `referral-committee`
- **2018-05-25** From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.) (May 25). `amendment-passage, committee-passage, amendment-introduction`
- **2018-05-25** Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading. `reading-1, amendment-passage, reading-2`
- **2018-05-29** Read second time. Ordered to third reading. `reading-2, reading-1`
- **2018-05-30** Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 74. Noes 1. Page 5541.) `reading-3, passage, reading-1`
- **2018-05-31** In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. `reading-1`
- **2018-06-13** Referred to Com. on T. & H. `referral-committee`
- **2018-06-27** From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 12. Noes 0.) (June 26). `amendment-passage, committee-passage, amendment-introduction`
- **2018-06-28** Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR. `amendment-passage, reading-2, referral-committee, reading-1`
- **2018-07-02** Withdrawn from committee.
- **2018-07-02** Ordered to second reading.
- **2018-07-03** Read second time. Ordered to third reading. `reading-2, reading-1`
- **2018-07-05** Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading. `amendment-passage, reading-3, reading-1`
- **2018-08-06** Read second time. Ordered to third reading. `reading-2, reading-1`
- **2018-08-16** Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading. `amendment-passage, reading-3, reading-1`
- **2018-08-20** Read second time. Ordered to third reading. `reading-2, reading-1`
- **2018-08-23** Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 33. Noes 2. Page 5653.). `reading-3, passage, reading-1`
- **2018-08-23** In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending. May be considered on or after August 25 pursuant to Assembly Rule 77.
- **2018-08-29** Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 77. Noes 0. Page 6808.). `committee-passage-favorable, amendment-passage`
- **2018-09-07** Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2:30 p.m.
- **2018-09-19** Approved by the Governor. `executive-signature`
- **2018-09-19** Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 552, Statutes of 2018.

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/c3a42178-ef8c-4f40-b356-c95b24e83070`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official California legislature records).