Bill Text: NY S07204 | 2021-2022 | General Assembly | Introduced


Bill Title: Establishes a bicycle 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, bicycle with electric assist or electric scooter in New York City to have a license to operate such devices.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-01-05 - REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION [S07204 Detail]

Download: New_York-2021-S07204-Introduced.html



                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          7204

                               2021-2022 Regular Sessions

                    IN SENATE

                                      June 7, 2021
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  Sen.  FELDER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
          printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules

        AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to establishing
          a bicycle and electric scooter operator's safety manual and  licensing
          requirement

          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      BICYCLE AND ELECTRIC SCOOTER SAFETY EDUCATION COURSE AND LICENSE
     5  Section 399-u. Bicycle and electric scooter operator's safety manual.
     6  399-v. License  for  the  operation  of a bicycle, bicycle with electric
     7           assist and electric scooter.
     8  399-w. Rules and regulations.
     9    § 399-u. Bicycle and electric scooter operator's safety manual.    The
    10  commissioner  shall  develop  and publish a bicycle and electric scooter
    11  operator's safety manual that shall be available  for  distribution  and
    12  accessible  on  the department's website.   The manual shall include but
    13  not be limited to the following:
    14    (a) an overview of traffic  laws  governing  bicycles,  bicycles  with
    15  electric assist and electric scooters;
    16    (b)  the safe operation of bicycles, bicycles with electric assist and
    17  electric scooters;
    18    (c) bicycle lanes as defined in section  one  hundred  two-a  of  this
    19  chapter; and
    20    (d)  obligations  to  comply with traffic control devices and markings
    21  related to bicyclists, electric scooter operators and pedestrians.
    22    § 399-v. License for the operation of a bicycle, bicycle with electric
    23  assist and electric scooter.  1. Upon successful  comprehension  of  the
    24  bicycle  and  electric  scooter operator's safety manual, a resident may
    25  then make an application to receive a license for  the  operation  of  a
    26  bicycle, bicycle with electric assist and electric scooter.

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD08683-03-1

        S. 7204                             2

     1    2.  (a)  An  application for such license shall be made to the commis-
     2  sioner and shall require an applicant to furnish proof of identity, age,
     3  fitness and any other information required  by  the  commissioner.  Such
     4  application may also require a photographic image of the applicant.
     5    (b)  A nominal fee may be prescribed by the commissioner for the issu-
     6  ance, renewal and amendment of a license.
     7    (c) A license shall be valid from the date of issuance until a date of
     8  expiration as determined by the commissioner.
     9    § 399-w. Rules and regulations. The commissioner shall promulgate such
    10  rules and regulations as are necessary to effectuate the  provisions  of
    11  this  article.  In  addition to any requirements expressly authorized by
    12  this article, such regulations may include but not be limited  to  vali-
    13  dating that a person has read and comprehends the the department's bicy-
    14  cle and electric scooter operator's safety manual.
    15    §  2.  Subdivision  1 of section 504 of the vehicle and traffic law is
    16  amended by adding a new paragraph (a-2) to read as follows:
    17    (a-2) Every license or renewal thereof issued to an applicant who  has
    18  a  license  for the operation of a bicycle, bicycle with electric assist
    19  and electric scooter and after submission of proof as set forth in  this
    20  paragraph  shall  contain  a  distinguishing  mark,  in such form as the
    21  commissioner shall determine, indicating that he or  she  has  read  and
    22  comprehends  the  bicycle and electric scooter operator's safety manual.
    23  Such proof shall consist of a license for the operation  of  a  bicycle,
    24  bicycle  with  electric  assist  and  electric  scooter that is provided
    25  pursuant to section three hundred ninety-nine-v  of  this  chapter.  The
    26  commissioner shall not require fees for the issuance of such licenses or
    27  renewals  thereof  containing  a bicycle and electric scooter operator's
    28  safety manual comprehension distinguishing mark which are different from
    29  fees otherwise required; provided,  however,  that  notwithstanding  the
    30  provisions  of this section, the commissioner shall not require fees for
    31  a duplication or amendment of a license prior to  its  renewal  if  such
    32  duplication  or amendment was solely for the purpose of adding a bicycle
    33  and electric scooter operator's safety manual comprehension distinguish-
    34  ing mark to such license.
    35    § 3. The vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding  a  new  section
    36  1244 to read as follows:
    37    §  1244.  Operation  of  a  bicycle or bicycle with electric assist is
    38  prohibited without a license. No person shall operate a bicycle or bicy-
    39  cle with electric assist on a public roadway in a city with a population
    40  of one million or more unless the operator is a holder of a license  for
    41  the  operation  of  a bicycle, bicycle with electric assist and electric
    42  scooter issued to him or her pursuant to article twelve-E of this  chap-
    43  ter.
    44    §  4.  The  vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new section
    45  1290 to read as follows:
    46    § 1290. Operation of an  electric  scooter  is  prohibited  without  a
    47  license. No person shall operate an electric scooter on a public roadway
    48  in  a  city with a population of one million or more unless the operator
    49  is a holder of a license for the operation of a  bicycle,  bicycle  with
    50  electric  assist  and  electric scooter issued to him or her pursuant to
    51  article twelve-E of this chapter.
    52    § 5. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
    53  it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition,  amend-
    54  ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
    55  tation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made on or
    56  before such date.
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