On September 30, 2026, three New York City Council committees held a joint hearing on 23 bills covering e-bikes, e-scooters, and other powered micromobility devices. The Council says that is the most legislation it has ever heard at one hearing. The bills include a phase-out of Class III e-bikes, a trade-in rebate program, and licensing rules for delivery services.
Key Takeaways
- City data shows 738 injuries and 13 deaths among e-bike riders in the first six months of 2026, up from 601 injuries and 10 deaths in the same period of 2025.
- The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, the Committee on Consumer and Worker Protection, and the Committee on Public Safety held the hearing jointly.
- The package grew from 17 bills announced in August to 23 bills at the hearing.
- About 65,000 delivery workers use micromobility devices, making up roughly 40 percent of all micromobility traffic in the city.
- A 2024 NYC Comptroller report found that e-bikes, e-scooters, and mopeds caused about 4.5 percent of pedestrian injuries from 2020 to 2023.
- The hearing took testimony only. The Council has not set a date to vote on any of the bills.
Six More Bills Joined the Package Since August
The New York City Council’s micromobility effort has grown in size. In early August, Speaker Julie Menin announced a 17-bill package after fatal crashes. By the time the committees met in the Council Chamber at City Hall, six more bills had been added.
Speaker Menin described the hearing as both a review of new bills and a check on existing rules. She said the Council would evaluate whether current laws are working and being properly enforced. The Council heard from city agencies, delivery workers, recreational e-bike riders, and pedestrians. Each of these groups experiences the city’s streets differently, and the final bills will need to balance their interests.
“We have an unacceptable situation where too many New Yorkers are being killed or injured due to E-bikes and E-scooters without the proper safeguards and enforcement,” Speaker Menin said.
Class III E-Bikes Sit at the Center of the Debate
The proposals that would change the most for riders target Class III e-bikes. These bikes provide motor assistance up to 25 miles per hour, and delivery workers commonly use them. Several bills would phase out their sale and use in New York City and tighten rules on renting them.
The proposals do not change the speed limit New Yorkers ride under every day. The city already caps e-bikes, e-scooters, and pedal-assist commercial bicycles at 15 miles per hour. Class II e-bikes reach 20 miles per hour under state classifications, and any device that can go faster than 25 miles per hour is already illegal to sell or ride in the city. The proposed phase-out would address bikes that can legally go faster than the city allows, which is a gap that has been hard to enforce.
A Trade-In Rebate Aims to Protect Delivery Livelihoods
Majority Leader Shaun Abreu chairs the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. He has argued that any phase-out has to be paired with a trade-in rebate program. The rebate would help delivery workers switch to slower devices without losing income. It would also help consumers who unknowingly bought a device they cannot legally ride.
“With an increase in e-bike collisions of over 30% so far this year, we cannot wait to take action,” Abreu said. He listed three priorities: holding delivery apps accountable, using new enforcement tools to remove illegal devices, and helping riders move to safer bikes through rebates.
Delivery Services Face New Licensing and Data Requirements
Many of the 23 bills are aimed at the third-party delivery platforms behind much of the city’s micromobility traffic. One proposal would require delivery services to get a business license from the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection. Other bills would require liability insurance, retention of trip data, and verification of moped registration.
The focus on delivery platforms reflects a basic fact about the workforce. About 65,000 delivery workers ride micromobility devices, and they are the riders most likely to feel pressure to move fast. Current city law already requires commercial operators to carry ID cards, wear helmets and reflective gear, and complete a Department of Transportation safety course. The new bills would put more of the responsibility on the companies that set the pace of the work.
Rider Safety Data Shapes the Discussion
Much of the public debate frames e-bikes as a danger to pedestrians. The Council’s own data shows a more complicated picture. The 738 injuries and 13 deaths recorded in the first half of 2026 were among e-bike riders themselves. Council Member Julie Won said 20 cyclists had been killed on city streets by September, which is double the number from the same point last year.
That makes the package a rider safety effort as much as a pedestrian protection effort. Since Local Laws 72 and 73 authorized e-bikes and e-scooters on city streets in 2020, micromobility has become part of how New Yorkers work and commute. Roughly 680,000 adult New Yorkers report riding a bicycle at least several times a month.
The Next Step Moves to Committee Votes
The September 30 session was only a hearing. Each bill must still go through committee revisions and votes before reaching the full New York City Council. Speaker Menin said the testimony would directly inform which bills move forward. Bills from a hearing this large are often combined or amended along the way.
For commuters, delivery workers, and pedestrians, the outcome will affect how quickly the city’s streets move and who is responsible when something goes wrong.
FAQs
What is a Class III e-bike?
A Class III e-bike provides motor assistance up to 25 miles per hour. In New York City, riders must still follow the city’s 15 mile per hour limit for e-bikes and e-scooters, regardless of the bike’s top speed.
Did the NYC Council pass the e-bike bills?
No. The September 30, 2026 session was a hearing to take testimony. The bills must go through committee votes before reaching the full Council, and no vote date has been announced.
What is the proposed e-bike trade-in rebate program?
The program would let riders trade in Class III e-bikes or illegal devices for slower, legal models. It is meant to help delivery workers keep their jobs and help consumers who bought devices they cannot legally ride.
How would the bills affect food delivery workers?
Several bills would require delivery services to hold business licenses, carry liability insurance, and keep trip data. That would shift more of the safety responsibility to the platforms. Workers already have to carry ID, wear safety gear, and complete a DOT safety course.
What is the current e-bike speed limit in New York City?
The city caps e-bikes, e-scooters, and pedal-assist commercial bicycles at 15 miles per hour. Any device that can exceed 25 miles per hour is illegal to sell or ride in the city.
