Massachusetts Joint Transportation Committee Hears First-in-Nation Micromobility Safety Bill

BOSTON — May 28, 2026 — Massachusetts lawmakers heard testimony Wednesday on the Healey administration's Ride Safe Act, a first-in-the-nation bill that would regulate e-bikes, scooters, and mopeds by manufactured speed rather than device type. House Chair James Arciero and Senate Chair Brendan P. Crighton presided over the Joint Committee on Transportation hearing on Senate Bill S3077, which creates four speed tiers — with devices topping out at 20 miles per hour treated like bicycles and faster vehicles facing potential registration, insurance, and roadway restrictions. Pediatric physicians from Mass General Hospital and Boston Children's Hospital delivered urgent testimony, with Dr. Cornelia Griggs describing the November death of 13-year-old Parker from Bedford and trauma nurse Tracy Sutherland reporting that Boston Children's recorded 24 e-bike injury admissions in 2025, up from four the year prior. Dr. Ari Cohen and Dr. Griggs both called for a "15-15 rule" setting a minimum age of 15 for any device exceeding 15 miles per hour, a provision not currently in the bill. Interim MassDOT Secretary Phil Eng told the committee that existing crash data is "not very good" and "not reliable" because crashes not involving motor vehicles go largely unreported — a gap the bill's Section 23 is designed to close.