Electric bicycles in New Jersey may need to be registered, insured soon

JERSEY CITY, N.J. - Electric bicycle riders in New Jersey could soon have to get their bikes registered and insured.

The plan is getting backlash from cyclists.

A bill proposed this year would require low-speed electric bicycles and scooters to be registered and insured . There are safety concerns about them, but critics say added regulations could push more vehicles onto already congested roads.

The legislation comes as the popularity of e-bikes is soaring.

Advocates say immigrants will be hurt most

Cycling advocates held a rally in Jersey City Wednesday slamming the proposal, which they say would impact immigrants the most since many immigrants use e-bikes to make a living.

Antonio Solis, a delivery worker and founding member of Los Deliveristas Unidos said it would make the difficult job even more complicated, and increase the operating costs.

Advocates said more e-bike regulations would make undocumented immigrants more susceptible to scrutiny from police.

"Because they're going to be asking for your information. So it's very concerning for us," Erik Cruz Morales of N.J. Alliance for Immigrant Justice said.

"It's taking something that is affordable, accessible, zero-emission, and it's much safer for other people than driving a car, and making it harder to access and more expensive," said Corey Hannigan of the Tri-State Transportation Campaign.

CBS New York has reached out to Senate President Nicholas Scutari, the bill's sponsor, multiple times for comment. So far, there's been no response. Gov. Phil Murphy's office declined to comment because it is pending legislation.