New Jersey lawmakers are already looking to walk back one of the country’s most controversial e-bike laws, just months after the sweeping new regulations took effect and sparked widespread backlash from riders, bicycle shops, and advocacy groups.

A newly introduced bill, S4830, sponsored by State Senator Raj Mukherji, would remove licensing, registration, and insurance requirements for low-speed electric bicycles with motors rated at 750W or less and a maximum motor-powered speed of 20 mph (32 km/h). This includes Class 1 and Class 2 electric bicycles.

The proposal would essentially restore bicycle-like treatment for these two classes of e-bikes, importantly including throttle-equipped models that make up the majority of e-bikes sold in the state and more broadly in the US, while maintaining stricter requirements for faster and more powerful electric bicycles.

The move comes after New Jersey’s previous governor, Phil Murphy, signed a sweeping e-bike law in January following several tragic crashes involving young riders.

That legislation, which took full effect in July, eliminated the state’s previous three-class e-bike framework and introduced licensing and registration requirements for all electric bicycles, including ordinary low-speed commuter models. Throttle-equipped and faster e-bikes also faced insurance requirements.

As we previously reported, New Jersey bicycle shops experienced devastating sales declines after the law took effect, with some reporting drops of 20% to 90%. Several businesses were forced to lay off employees, downsize, or even close entirely as e-bike sales and usage plummeted.

Meanwhile, riders faced confusing new requirements that made e-bikes considerably less accessible, which was particularly impactful for lower-income residents, people with disabilities, and those who rely on electric bicycles for daily transportation.

Source link