NEW YORK (PIX11) – E-bike riders may have to register for license plates under two City Council proposals.
Councilmembers will discuss Intro 606, also known as Priscilla's Law, on Wednesday. It seeks to have all e-bikes registered with the Department of Transportation and have a license plate with an identification number fixed to the vehicle.
E-bike license plates would have to be fixed to the back of the bike and identify whether the vehicle is personal or commercial in nature.
The law is named after Priscilla Loke, a 68-year-old woman who died after being struck by an e-bike in Chinatown in September 2023.
This proposal comes alongside a City Council vote on the Commercial E-Bike Licensing Act. The bill, penned by Councilmember Gale Brewer, seeks to have all e-bikes for commercial use registered and creates liability for employers.
According to the proposal, the Commercial E-Bike Licensing Act. is intended to make e-bikes more easily identifiable if they’re involved in dangerous situations. Any fines or violations would be placed on the employer instead of the delivery worker.
Between 2022 and 2023 e-bike involved fatalities rose from nine to 12 respectively, according to the NYC Department of Transportation. As explained in the proposals, the bills seek to ensure that e-bike users comply with regulations and operate in a safe manner.
Dominique Jack is a digital content producer from Brooklyn with more than five years of experience covering news. She joined PIX11 in 2024. More of her work can be found here.
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