Requires any person, firm, association or corporation selling or leasing bicycles with electric assist and electric scooters in NYS to affix front and rear lights.
Summary
A09209 amends the New York Vehicle and Traffic Law to require that any bicycle with electric assist sold or leased in the state be equipped with lighting that meets specified visibility standards. The bill requires a front lamp emitting white light visible from at least 500 feet, and a rear red or amber light visible from 300 feet, with at least one light visible from each side for 200 feet.
The bill also imposes a similar lighting requirement on electric scooters sold or leased in New York. Electric scooters would need a front white light visible from 500 feet and a rear red light visible from 300 feet, again with side visibility of at least 200 feet for one of the lights. The measure takes effect one year after becoming law, giving sellers and lessors time to comply.
Impact
This bill would add new equipment requirements to the Vehicle and Traffic Law for sellers and lessors of electric-assist bicycles and electric scooters in New York. It affects commercial transactions involving these devices by making sale or lease unlawful unless the vehicles are outfitted with the required front and rear lights. The practical impact is to standardize nighttime visibility equipment for e-bikes and e-scooters and to place compliance obligations on businesses in the retail and rental market.
Sentiment
The available voting history shows strong support for the bill. It passed the Assembly Transportation Committee unanimously, 24-0, and later passed the Assembly floor by a vote of 132-0. No committee transcript or recorded debate is provided, but the unanimous votes suggest broad agreement that the lighting requirements are a safety measure with little visible opposition in the Assembly.
Contention
No specific points of contention are documented in the provided materials, and the recorded votes indicate no opposition at either the committee or floor stage. Any potential concerns would likely center on compliance costs for sellers and lessors of electric bicycles and scooters, the feasibility of retrofitting inventory, or whether the visibility standards are sufficiently clear, but none of these issues are reflected in the available discussion or votes.
Same As
Requires any person, firm, association or corporation selling or leasing bicycles with electric assist and electric scooters in NYS to affix front and rear lights.
Requires any person, firm, association or corporation selling or leasing bicycles with electric assist and electric scooters in NYS to affix front and rear lights.
Requires bicycles with electric assist and electric scooters to be registered with the department of motor vehicles and have a license plate affixed to such bicycle with electric assist or electric scooter.
Requires bicycles with electric assist and electric scooters to be registered with the department of motor vehicles and have a license plate affixed to such bicycle with electric assist or electric scooter.
Prohibits sellers of bicycles with electric assist, electric scooters, and motor-driven cycles from selling to persons less than sixteen years of age; requires valid proof of age at the point of purchase; establishes licensing requirements for bicycles with electric assist, electric scooters, and motor-driven cycles that can exceed twenty-eight miles per hour.
Requires anyone under age sixteen who is riding upon, propelling or otherwise operating an electric scooter, electric personal assistive mobility device, or bicycle with electric assist or is a passenger on such electric scooter, electric personal assistive mobility device, or bicycle with electric assist to wear approved protective headwear.
Requires every sale of a bicycle with electric assist or electric scooter to include a helmet suitable for use while operating such bicycle or scooter.
Requires every sale of a bicycle with electric assist or electric scooter to include a helmet suitable for use while operating such bicycle or scooter.