NYC Council Speaker Drops E-bike Registration from Safety Bill Amid Industry Funding Concerns

City Council Speaker Julie Menin has abandoned the registration component of her e-bike safety agenda, deferring the measure to New York State rather than including it in her 17-bill package. The change reverses her earlier co-sponsorship of Priscilla’s Law, which would have required e-bike owners to register and display license plates. Critics, such as Councilman Holden and former councilman Sal Albanese, claim the shift reflects pressure from Uber and DoorDash PACs that contributed roughly $170,000 to Menin’s campaign.

Albany legislators, including Senator Joseph Addabbo Jr., have been slow to advance the registration bill, citing concerns about delivery workers. Council Majority Leader Shaun Abreu, previously a co-sponsor, also withdrew his backing, despite receiving over $250,000 in independent spending from Uber’s PAC. Advocates warn that without registration, injured pedestrians cannot easily identify riders for insurance claims, even as e-bike and e-scooter crashes have risen more than 30% year over year.