STATE OF NEW YORK
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226
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE(Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
___________
Introduced by Sen. HOYLMAN-SIGAL -- read twice and ordered printed, and
when printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law and the administrative code
of the city of New York, in relation to registration and commercial
operation of electric assist bicycles
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 section 1244 to read as follows:
3 § 1244. Registration of bicycles with electric assist. 1. Every bicy-
4 cle with electric assist as defined in section one hundred two-c of this
5 chapter which is used for commercial purposes shall be registered and
6 issued a number plate by the department. No person shall operate a bicy-
7 cle with electric assist for commercial purposes unless such bicycle
8 with electric assist shall have a distinctive number assigned to it by
9 the commissioner and a number plate issued by the commissioner with a
10 number corresponding to that of the certificate of registration.
11 2. Such number plates shall be of such material, form, design and
12 dimensions and contain or set forth such distinguishing number or other
13 identification marks as the commissioner shall prescribe, provided,
14 however, that there shall be at all times a marked contrast between the
15 color of the number plates and that of the numerals or letters thereon.
16 3. Each such number plate shall be conspicuously displayed on the rear
17 of the bicycle, securely fastened so as to prevent the same from swing-
18 ing.
19 4. The fee for such number plates shall be determined by the commis-
20 sioner.
21 § 2. Subdivision 5 of section 1242 of the vehicle and traffic law is
22 amended by adding a new paragraph (c) to read as follows:
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00757-01-5
S. 226 2
1 (c) Where there is a violation of this subdivision by an operator of a
2 bicycle with electric assist who is employed or retained as an independ-
3 ent contractor to deliver goods in commerce, while in the course of such
4 commercial use, the employer, or owner of the business whose goods are
5 being delivered, or a third-party delivery platform which arranged such
6 delivery, shall be liable for any fine imposed for such violation.
7 § 3. Subdivisions a and g of section 10-157 of the administrative code
8 of the city of New York, subdivision a as amended by local law number 91
9 of the city of New York for the year 2017 and subdivision g as amended
10 by local law number 151 of the city of New York for the year 2023, are
11 amended to read as follows:
12 a. For purposes of this section and section 10-157.1, the following
13 terms have the following meanings:
14 Bicycle. The term "bicycle" has the same meaning as in section 19-176,
15 and also means any wheeled device propelled exclusively by human power
16 as well as any motor-assisted device [that is not capable of being
17 registered by the New York state department of motor vehicles].
18 Bicycle operator. The term "bicycle operator" means a person who
19 delivers packages, parcels, papers, or articles of any type by bicycle
20 on behalf of a business using a bicycle for commercial purposes and who
21 is paid by such business.
22 Business using a bicycle for commercial purposes. The term "business
23 using a bicycle for commercial purposes" means a person, firm, partner-
24 ship, joint venture, association, corporation, or other entity that,
25 either on behalf of itself or others, delivers packages, parcels,
26 papers, or articles of any type by bicycle. Nothing contained in this
27 section shall be construed as applying to persons under the age of
28 sixteen who use a bicycle only to deliver daily newspapers or circulars.
29 g. A business using a bicycle for commercial purposes shall be respon-
30 sible for the compliance with the provisions of this section [of] and
31 the provisions of subdivision five of section twelve hundred forty-two
32 of the vehicle and traffic law by its bicycle operators.
33 (1) Violation of any of the provisions of this section by any such
34 business, or of any of the rules or regulations that may be promulgated
35 pursuant hereto, or the provisions of subdivision five of section twelve
36 hundred forty-two of the vehicle and traffic law by its bicycle oper-
37 ators shall be a violation triable by a judge of the criminal court of
38 the city of New York and upon conviction thereof shall be punishable by
39 a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $250 or imprisonment for not
40 more than 15 days or both such fine and imprisonment.
41 (2) Any such business that violates any of the provisions of this
42 section or any of the rules promulgated pursuant hereto, except subdivi-
43 sion d of this section and any of the rules promulgated pursuant to such
44 subdivision, or the provisions of subdivision five of section twelve
45 hundred forty-two of the vehicle and traffic law by its bicycle opera-
46 tors shall be subject to a civil penalty of $100. Any such business that
47 violates a provision of this section or rule promulgated pursuant hereto
48 more than 30 days after such business has already violated the same
49 provision or rule shall be subject to an additional civil penalty of
50 $250. Any such business that violates subdivision d of this section or
51 any of the rules promulgated pursuant hereto shall be subject to a civil
52 penalty of $100, except that with respect to first time violations of
53 such subdivision, the commissioner of transportation shall notify such
54 business of such violation and request that action be taken to correct
55 such violation in such a manner within 30 days and shall afford such
56 business an opportunity to contest the commissioner's finding in a
S. 226 3
1 manner set forth in the rules of the department of transportation. Civil
2 penalties issued pursuant to this paragraph may be in addition to any
3 criminal penalty imposed, and shall be recoverable against such business
4 in an action or proceeding in any court or tribunal of competent juris-
5 diction or the environmental control board.
6 § 4. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
7 have become a law.
