LA City Council committee seeks capping speed of electric scooters

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A Los Angeles City Council committee took a closer look at electric scooters in the city, refining some proposed regulations Wednesday.

The Transportation Committee recommended the speed of the scooters be capped at 12 mph, creating a conditional use permit system for them and provisions to apply the regulations to emerging technology and devices.

The committee had approved a set of regulations in June, but Councilman Mike Bonin pushed for further revisions after hearing some companies were considering raising the speed of their scooters to be more competitive.

The motorized scooters from Bird and Lime have grown in popularity in Los Angeles in the last year. Both Bird and Lime list their scooters' speed at about 15 mph.

Councilman Paul Koretz has called for a temporary ban on electric scooters in Los Angeles until full regulations are in place.

Koretz is worried of the scooters' safety and where the dockless scooters are being left.