Add Art 12-E §§399-u - 399-w, §§1244 & 1290, amd §504, V & T L
 
Establishes a bicycle with electric assist and electric scooter operator's safety manual; provides for the issuance of a license for residents who successfully read and comprehend the operator's safety manual; requires residents who operate a bicycle with electric assist or electric scooter in New York City to have a license to operate such devices.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
9886
IN ASSEMBLY
April 19, 2022
___________
Introduced by M. of A. ABBATE -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to establishing
a bicycle with electric assist and electric scooter operator's safety
manual and licensing requirement in a city with a population of one
million or more
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new
2 article 12-E to read as follows:
3 ARTICLE 12-E
4 NEW YORK CITY
5 BICYCLE WITH ELECTRIC ASSIST
6 AND ELECTRIC SCOOTER SAFETY EDUCATION COURSE AND LICENSE
7 Section 399-u. Bicycle with electric assist and electric scooter opera-
8 tor's safety manual.
9 399-v. License for the operation of a bicycle with electric
10 assist and electric scooter.
11 399-w. Rules and regulations.
12 § 399-u. Bicycle with electric assist and electric scooter operator's
13 safety manual. The commissioner shall develop and publish a bicycle with
14 electric assist and electric scooter operator's safety manual that shall
15 be available for distribution and accessible on the department's
16 website. The manual shall include but not be limited to the following:
17 (a) an overview of traffic laws governing bicycles with electric
18 assist and electric scooters;
19 (b) the safe operation of bicycles with electric assist and electric
20 scooters;
21 (c) bicycle lanes as defined in section one hundred two-a of this
22 chapter; and
23 (d) obligations to comply with traffic control devices and markings
24 related to bicycles with electric assist operators, electric scooter
25 operators and pedestrians.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD15318-01-2
A. 9886 2
1 § 399-v. License for the operation of a bicycle with electric assist
2 and electric scooter. 1. Upon successful comprehension of the bicycle
3 with electric assist and electric scooter operator's safety manual, a
4 resident of a city with a population of one million or more may then
5 make an application to receive a license for the operation of a bicycle
6 with electric assist and electric scooter.
7 2. (a) An application for such license shall be made to the commis-
8 sioner and shall require an applicant to furnish proof of identity, age,
9 fitness and any other information required by the commissioner. Such
10 application may also require a photographic image of the applicant.
11 (b) A nominal fee may be prescribed by the commissioner for the issu-
12 ance, renewal and amendment of a license.
13 (c) A license shall be valid from the date of issuance until a date of
14 expiration as determined by the commissioner.
15 § 399-w. Rules and regulations. The commissioner shall promulgate such
16 rules and regulations as are necessary to effectuate the provisions of
17 this article. In addition to any requirements expressly authorized by
18 this article, such regulations may include, but not be limited to, vali-
19 dating that a person has read and comprehends the department's bicycle
20 with electric assist and electric scooter operator's safety manual.
21 § 2. Subdivision 1 of section 504 of the vehicle and traffic law is
22 amended by adding a new paragraph (a-2) to read as follows:
23 (a-2) Every license or renewal thereof issued to an applicant who has
24 a license for the operation of a bicycle with electric assist and elec-
25 tric scooter in a city with a population of one million or more and
26 after submission of proof as set forth in this paragraph shall contain a
27 distinguishing mark, in such form as the commissioner shall determine,
28 indicating that he or she has read and comprehends the bicycle with
29 electric assist and electric scooter operator's safety manual. Such
30 proof shall consist of a license for the operation of a bicycle with
31 electric assist and electric scooter that is provided pursuant to
32 section three hundred ninety-nine-v of this chapter. The commissioner
33 shall not require fees for the issuance of such licenses or renewals
34 thereof containing a bicycle with electric assist and electric scooter
35 operator's safety manual comprehension distinguishing mark which are
36 different from fees otherwise required; provided, however, that notwith-
37 standing the provisions of this section, the commissioner shall not
38 require fees for a duplication or amendment of a license prior to its
39 renewal if such duplication or amendment was solely for the purpose of
40 adding a bicycle with electric assist and electric scooter operator's
41 safety manual comprehension distinguishing mark to such license.
42 § 3. The vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new section
43 1244 to read as follows:
44 § 1244. Operation of a bicycle with electric assist is prohibited
45 without a license. No person shall operate a bicycle with electric
46 assist on a public roadway in a city with a population of one million or
47 more unless the operator is a holder of a license for the operation of a
48 bicycle with electric assist and electric scooter issued to him or her
49 pursuant to article twelve-E of this chapter.
50 § 4. The vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new section
51 1290 to read as follows:
52 § 1290. Operation of an electric scooter is prohibited without a
53 license. No person shall operate an electric scooter on a public roadway
54 in a city with a population of one million or more unless the operator
55 is a holder of a license for the operation of a bicycle with electric
A. 9886 3
1 assist and electric scooter issued to him or her pursuant to article
2 twelve-E of this chapter.
3 § 5. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
4 it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amend-
5 ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
6 tation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made on or
7 before such date.