Establishes bicycle with electric assist safety courses; requires purchasers of bicycles with electric assist to provide a bicycle with electric assist safety certificate at the time of purchase; requires operators of bicycles with electric assist to carry identification when operating such bicycles.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
9402
IN SENATE
March 10, 2026
___________
Introduced by Sen. PALUMBO -- 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 establishing
bicycle with electric assist safety courses, requiring purchasers of
bicycles with electric assist to provide a bicycle with electric
assist safety certificate and requiring operators of bicycles with
electric assist to carry identification when operating such 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. Bicycle with electric assist safety course. 1. The commission-
4 er shall initiate and put into effect a comprehensive educational
5 program designed to advance bicycle with electric assist safety, which
6 provides for the training of all purchasers of bicycles with electric
7 assist in the safe operation of such bicycles.
8 2. "Bicycle with electric assist safety certificate" shall mean a
9 certificate issued by the commissioner evidencing that the holder there-
10 of has successfully completed a course of instruction in bicycle with
11 electric assist safety as provided in this section. The commissioner
12 shall put into effect a plan for the training of all purchasers, and in
13 the case of purchases by minors, the parent or guardian of such minor
14 purchasers, of bicycles with electric assist and the issuance of bicycle
15 with electric assist safety certificates. For the purposes of this
16 section, the term "bicycle with electric assist safety" shall include
17 instruction in the laws relating to and safe operation of bicycles with
18 electric assist.
19 3. "Bicycle with electric assist safety certificate" shall also mean a
20 certificate issued by the commissioner evidencing that the holder there-
21 of has successfully completed a course of instruction in the laws relat-
22 ing to and safe operation of bicycles with electric assist. The commis-
23 sioner is authorized to collect a fee not to exceed ten dollars for the
24 issuance of such certificate.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14613-02-6
S. 9402 2
1 4. The commissioner is authorized and directed to establish a system
2 for tracking and replacing bicycle with electric assist safety certif-
3 icates issued by the commissioner. The commissioner is further author-
4 ized to require that any other entity approved by the commissioner to
5 provide courses of instruction and award bicycle with electric assist
6 safety certificates establish a system for tracking and replacing bicy-
7 cle with electric assist safety certificates so as to enable the
8 replacement of lost or stolen certificates to those who have previously
9 been awarded such certificates.
10 5. For the purpose of giving such courses of instruction and awarding
11 bicycle with electric assist safety certificates, the commissioner may
12 designate as the commissioner's agent any person the commissioner deems
13 qualified to act in such capacity. No charge whatsoever shall be made to
14 any person less than eighteen years of age for the issuance of a bicycle
15 with electric assist safety certificate. Persons less than eighteen
16 years of age may be charged a fee for instruction in bicycle with elec-
17 tric assist safety, except that the office may not charge a fee when
18 providing such instruction to persons less than eighteen years of age.
19 6. The commissioner is authorized, at the commissioner's discretion,
20 to develop a method for approving internet-based bicycle with electric
21 assist safety courses as an appropriate and effective method for the
22 administration and completion of training in the laws relating to and
23 safe operation of bicycles with electric assist for the purposes of
24 awarding a bicycle with electric assist safety certificate pursuant to
25 this section. All approved internet-based bicycle with electric assist
26 safety courses shall employ methods to ensure attendance of the student
27 throughout the course.
28 § 2. Section 1242 of the vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding
29 two new subdivisions 14 and 15 to read as follows:
30 14. No person, firm, association or corporation engaged in the busi-
31 ness of selling or leasing bicycles with electric assist shall sell or
32 lease any bicycle with electric assist unless the purchaser of such
33 bicycle provides a bicycle with electric assist safety certificate
34 issued pursuant to section twelve hundred forty-four of this article. If
35 the purchaser of a bicycle with electric assist is a minor, or if a
36 bicycle with electric assist is being purchased for a minor, then both
37 the minor and the parent or guardian of such minor shall each provide a
38 bicycle with electric assist safety certificate certifying that both the
39 minor and the parent or guardian of such minor have completed a bicycle
40 with electric assist safety course as required pursuant to section
41 twelve hundred forty-four of this article.
42 15. Every operator of a bicycle with electric assist shall carry iden-
43 tification with them when operating such bicycle with electric assist.
44 For the purposes of this subdivision, "identification" shall mean a
45 drivers' license, state-issued identification card, or, where the opera-
46 tor is a minor, a school-issued identification card.
47 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
