New Jersey Passes E-Bike Insurance Bill
Bill S2292 would require all riders of microbility devices including e-bikes, e-scooters and e-mopeds to carry liability insurance. The coverage would have to be substantive enough to cover the rider and anyone else injured in the event of a crash.
The bill has received vocal pushback from mobility advocates and members of the senate alike, not least because the sort of insurance required doesn’t yet exist.
“I don’t think anybody supports the bill exactly as it’s presently written,” said Patrick Diegnan, the Transportation Committee Chair. “The Senate president is well aware of the input and is working on amendments. And we’ll meet with the advocates in between now and as it goes forward.”
A coalition of groups opposed to the legislation sent a letter to the New Jersey Senate President Nicolas Scutari.
“This bill works against many of New Jersey’s own policy goals,” stated the letter. Signees included the Tri-State Transportation Campaign, Regional Plan Association, Bike Hoboken, League of American Bicyclists, Citi Bike, PeopleForBikes and Rails-to-Trails Conservancy.