bikerjohn
Well-Known Member
BILL NUMBER: S5294A
SPONSOR: RAMOS
TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in
relation to bicycles with electric assist and electric scooters; and
providing for the repeal of certain provisions upon the expiration ther-
eof
PURPOSE:
To authorize electric bicycles and electric scooters under New York law.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
This legislation authorizes three classes of electric assist bicycles
and electric scooters to operate in New York State, subject to local
regulation.
JUSTIFICATION:
This legislation authorizes e-bicycles and e-scooters in New York.
These zero-emission devices are safe, sustainable, and affordable,
unlocking the right of mobility for a wide segment of New Yorkers.
Because of the widespread appeal of these devices, over 100 cities have
witnessed substantial reductions in automobile traffic that enables them
to help achieve their congestion, environmental, and safety goals. For
example, pilot e-micromobility programs in cities like Phoenix, Denver,
and Portland have eliminated thousands of car trips from their streets
every day.
The appeal of e-bicycles and e-scooters is driven by widespread adoption
among demographics facing barriers to other modes of transportation,
including lower-income riders, female riders, and riders of color. Thou-
sands of food delivery workers in New York City rely on e-bicycles to
earn a living wage, while studies of shared e-scooter pilots show that
almost half of riders earn less than $50,000 a year.
New York is one of the last states left in the country that has yet to
legalize and define e-bicycles and e-scooters. This lack of definition
has created confusion over how these low-speed devices should be regu-
lated, causing New York cities to fall behind the rest of the country in
adopting this next generation of micro-mobility.
This bill takes the consensus approach that other states have taken in
regulating e-bicycles and e-scooters - by treating them similar to bicy-
cles. This approach has been consistently embraced across the country
because granting e-bicycles and e-scooters all the rights and duties of
bicycles is an intuitive and simple approach to legislation that is
easiest for riders to understand, while immediately creating reasonable
expectations for drivers, pedestrians, and others sharing the road.
This approach is also borne out by safety data. Studies of both e-bicy-
cles and e-scooter safety have consistently shown them to be as safe or
safer than bicycling. For example, the City of Portland has conducted a
comprehensive safety study of shared e-scooters and concluded not only
that e-scooters posed no more risk than any other mode of transporta-
tion, but that their widespread adoption meant that they could in fact
"contribute to a reduction in serious injuries and fatalities".
This legislation preserves local authority over their own streets and
sidewalks, allowing them to decide for themselves how to integrate these
exciting new transportation technologies into their transportation
networks.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Generally 180 days after being signed into law
Awaiting the Governor's signature
A good thing to learn after the past 5 years and 10,000 miles of commutes with my ebike, I along with other NYS ebike operators, have been breaking the law commuting NYS roadways. This bill, when finally signed by the Governor, will correct an oversight.
SPONSOR: RAMOS
TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in
relation to bicycles with electric assist and electric scooters; and
providing for the repeal of certain provisions upon the expiration ther-
eof
PURPOSE:
To authorize electric bicycles and electric scooters under New York law.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
This legislation authorizes three classes of electric assist bicycles
and electric scooters to operate in New York State, subject to local
regulation.
JUSTIFICATION:
This legislation authorizes e-bicycles and e-scooters in New York.
These zero-emission devices are safe, sustainable, and affordable,
unlocking the right of mobility for a wide segment of New Yorkers.
Because of the widespread appeal of these devices, over 100 cities have
witnessed substantial reductions in automobile traffic that enables them
to help achieve their congestion, environmental, and safety goals. For
example, pilot e-micromobility programs in cities like Phoenix, Denver,
and Portland have eliminated thousands of car trips from their streets
every day.
The appeal of e-bicycles and e-scooters is driven by widespread adoption
among demographics facing barriers to other modes of transportation,
including lower-income riders, female riders, and riders of color. Thou-
sands of food delivery workers in New York City rely on e-bicycles to
earn a living wage, while studies of shared e-scooter pilots show that
almost half of riders earn less than $50,000 a year.
New York is one of the last states left in the country that has yet to
legalize and define e-bicycles and e-scooters. This lack of definition
has created confusion over how these low-speed devices should be regu-
lated, causing New York cities to fall behind the rest of the country in
adopting this next generation of micro-mobility.
This bill takes the consensus approach that other states have taken in
regulating e-bicycles and e-scooters - by treating them similar to bicy-
cles. This approach has been consistently embraced across the country
because granting e-bicycles and e-scooters all the rights and duties of
bicycles is an intuitive and simple approach to legislation that is
easiest for riders to understand, while immediately creating reasonable
expectations for drivers, pedestrians, and others sharing the road.
This approach is also borne out by safety data. Studies of both e-bicy-
cles and e-scooter safety have consistently shown them to be as safe or
safer than bicycling. For example, the City of Portland has conducted a
comprehensive safety study of shared e-scooters and concluded not only
that e-scooters posed no more risk than any other mode of transporta-
tion, but that their widespread adoption meant that they could in fact
"contribute to a reduction in serious injuries and fatalities".
This legislation preserves local authority over their own streets and
sidewalks, allowing them to decide for themselves how to integrate these
exciting new transportation technologies into their transportation
networks.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Generally 180 days after being signed into law
Awaiting the Governor's signature
A good thing to learn after the past 5 years and 10,000 miles of commutes with my ebike, I along with other NYS ebike operators, have been breaking the law commuting NYS roadways. This bill, when finally signed by the Governor, will correct an oversight.
