City Council Proposes 17-Bill Package to Regulate Micromobility

New York City Council leaders unveiled a 17-bill legislative package on Tuesday, August 4, aimed at curbing the rising number of collisions involving e-bikes, e-scooters, and similar electric devices. The initiative follows a reported 28% increase in crashes involving these vehicles through the third week of July compared to the same period in 2025.

City Council Speaker Julie Menin announced that a public hearing is scheduled for September 30 to review the proposals and examine current city oversight of motorized two-wheelers. The legislative package addresses several areas, including the operations of third-party food delivery apps and the technical specifications of devices sold to the public.

Key provisions in the proposed bills include:

* **Delivery App Regulation:** Requiring delivery platforms to obtain business licenses from the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection and mandating the sharing of driver data, including location and delivery times. * **Safety Equipment:** Expanding commercial bicycle safety laws to require app companies to provide safety gear to their delivery workers. * **Device Restrictions:** Prohibiting the sale of e-bikes capable of reaching 25 mph with throttle assistance. * **Enforcement Reporting:** Requiring the NYPD to provide reports on targeted enforcement efforts regarding micromobility devices.

Notably, the package does not include a local registration system for e-bikes. Instead, the Council is calling on the state legislature to pass "Priscilla’s Law," which would authorize the state Department of Motor Vehicles to manage the registration and licensing of these vehicles. Council Member Gale Brewer, who is sponsoring the resolution, argued that the city lacks the necessary infrastructure to handle such a program.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani indicated he would review the specifics of the bills but emphasized his administration’s focus on restricting the sale of devices that are already illegal. "My first focus, frankly, is that which is already illegal," Mamdani stated, noting the difficulty consumers face in distinguishing between legal and illegal devices sold online.

Advocacy groups have offered mixed but generally supportive feedback. Ben Furnas, executive director of Transportation Alternatives, expressed support for the licensing of delivery apps and the proposed ban on high-speed throttle-assisted bikes, while reiterating that cars and trucks remain the primary cause of traffic fatalities in the city.

Speaker Menin framed the legislative push as a necessary response to a series of high-profile, fatal crashes, emphasizing that the upcoming hearing will serve as a critical oversight mechanism to address data gaps regarding how and where these collisions occur.