The California Bicycle Coalition has been working with lawmakers, including the bills author ur own Assemblyman Richard Bloom in Sacramento throughout the legislative session to get California to allow bicycle ticket diversion programs for adults*. The diversion programs allow the option to reduce fines for people ticketed on bikes. People ticket on bikes will now be able to take a bicycle education class in the same way drivers of motor vehicles have been allowed to opt for “Traffic School”.

We have good news: Thanks to the work done by California Bicycle Coalition - We won!

Yesterday Governor Jerry Brown signed into law Assembly Bill 902, to allow reduced fines for adults who take a bicycle education class. This is huge news and one we have been championing in Santa Monica for many many years. Now with this new law it can further encourage bike riding, make enforcement more equitable, while also helping boosting people’s confidence, knowledge and skills. The California Bicycle Coalition couldn’t have won this bill without it’s members, affiliates and outspoken advocates. We urge you to join the California Bicycle Coalition and help us win more laws that encourage bicycling.

Now that we have won at the state level, implementing diversion programs in Los Angeles and Santa Monica is now in our court. AB 902 goes into effect on January 1, 2016, and it’s up to us and our local partners, advocacy groups and you to make sure that our local police departments adopt diversion programs in our city.

We invite you to support the California Bicycle Coalition, and our local bicycle advocacy. We can only move this work forward with supporters like you!

*Currently only minors can opt for traffic diversion for bicycle traffic tickets.