Bill Text: NY A06550 | 2021-2022 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Requires commuter bicyclists to complete a bicycle safety course; directs the commissioner to initiate and put into effect curriculum for such course.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-01-05 - referred to transportation [A06550 Detail]

Download: New_York-2021-A06550-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          6550

                               2021-2022 Regular Sessions

                   IN ASSEMBLY

                                     March 19, 2021
                                       ___________

        Introduced by M. of A. ZINERMAN -- read once and referred to the Commit-
          tee on Transportation

        AN  ACT  to  amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to requiring
          commuter bicyclists to complete a bicycle safety course

          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. Commuter bicyclists. 1. Any person using a bicycle as a prima-
     4  ry method of transportation to and from their place of employment  shall
     5  complete and pass a bicycle safety course.
     6    2.  (a) The commissioner shall initiate and put into effect such bicy-
     7  cle safety course, the curriculum of which shall  include,  but  not  be
     8  limited to:
     9    (i) the laws governing the operation of bicycles;
    10    (ii)  appropriate traffic behavior and the laws governing such traffic
    11  behavior;
    12    (iii) identification and avoidance of hazards;
    13    (iv) pedestrian and motor vehicle safety;
    14    (v) bicycle safety inspection and maintenance; and
    15    (vi) injury prevention.
    16    (b) In developing such curriculum, the commissioner shall consult with
    17  the commissioner of transportation,  the  superintendent  of  the  state
    18  police,  the  commissioners  of transportation and police of the city of
    19  New York, medical professionals and bicycle safety advocates.
    20    3. The commissioner is authorized, at his or her discretion, to devel-
    21  op a method for approving internet-based bicycle safety  courses  as  an
    22  appropriate  and  effective method for the administration and completion
    23  of training in the safe operation  of  bicycles,  for  the  purposes  of
    24  awarding  a  bicycle  safety  certificate  pursuant to this section. All

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD09872-01-1
        A. 6550                             2

     1  approved internet-based bicycle safety courses shall employ  methods  to
     2  ensure attendance of the student throughout the course.
     3    4.  The  commissioner is authorized and directed to establish a system
     4  for tracking and replacing bicycle safety  certificates  issued  by  the
     5  commissioner. The commissioner is further authorized to require that any
     6  other entity approved by the commissioner to provide courses of instruc-
     7  tion and award bicycle safety certificates establish a system for track-
     8  ing  and  replacing  bicycle  safety  certificates  so  as to enable the
     9  replacement of lost or stolen certificates to those who have  previously
    10  been awarded such certificates.
    11    § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
    12  it  shall  have become a law; provided, however, that the bicycle safety
    13  course required by section one of this act may be taken on or after  the
    14  effective date on this act and that persons subject to the provisions of
    15  this  act  shall  have one year to complete such course. Effective imme-
    16  diately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation
    17  necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective  date  are
    18  authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.