Requires the commissioner of motor vehicles to create a bicycle with electric assist battery swapping pilot program in a city with a population of one million or more.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
5143
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
February 19, 2025
___________
Introduced by Sen. COMRIE -- 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, in relation to requiring
the commissioner of motor vehicles to create a bicycle with electric
assist battery swapping pilot program 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 section 1244 to read as follows:
3 § 1244. Bicycle with electric assist battery swapping pilot program.
4 1. For purposes of this section, "battery swapping station" shall mean
5 a location where bicycle with electric assist batteries are stored,
6 charged, and available for bicycle with electric assist riders to
7 exchange.
8 2. (a) The commissioner, in consultation with the commissioner of the
9 department of transportation and the commissioner of the department of
10 transportation of the city of New York, shall establish a bicycle with
11 electric assist battery swapping pilot program in a city with a popu-
12 lation of one million or more no later than six months after the effec-
13 tive date of this section.
14 (b) Battery swapping stations shall be located at all department of
15 motor vehicles locations in a city with a population of one million or
16 more. At such battery swapping stations, bicycle with electric assist
17 riders shall be able to exchange their drained bicycle with electric
18 assist battery for a fully charged battery.
19 (c) In order to utilize such a battery swapping station, a bicycle
20 with electric assist rider shall be required to pay a one-time rental
21 fee to the department. After payment of such fee, a bicycle with elec-
22 tric assist rider shall be able to exchange bicycle with electric assist
23 batteries as often as needed.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05746-01-5
S. 5143 2
1 3. The fire department of the city of New York shall provide guidance
2 on fire safety and prevention relating to bicycle with electric assist
3 batteries, and the commissioner shall follow such guidelines in creating
4 the bicycle with electric assist pilot program and in the establishment
5 and maintenance of battery swapping stations.
6 4. Such pilot program shall continue for a period of one year after
7 its establishment. No later than two years after the effective date of
8 this section, the commissioner shall report to the governor, the tempo-
9 rary president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly on the
10 results of such pilot program and any recommendations for legislative
11 action.
12 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
