New Jersey Senate Committee Passes E-Bike Insurance Bill

In an update to a recent article about a proposed e-bike insurance law, Streetsblog NYC’s Julianne Cuba writes that a state Senate committee passed the bill, “with lawmakers holding their nose and promising the final proposal will be heavily amended before passing.”

Despite concerns about the vague language of the bill and its requirement for a type of insurance that doesn’t exist yet, the lawmakers approved the current bill with the caveat that it needs significant updates before its final passage.

“Advocates are adamantly opposed to Senate President Nicolas Scutari's bill, fearing it would undermine the goals of reducing car dependency and carbon emissions, and be an expensive and arduous impediment for those who rely on cheaper modes of transportation.” The bill could embolden anti-bike groups to pass similarly onerous requirements in other places “while ignoring the death and injury toll from automobiles.”