Prohibits the sale of ATVs and off-highway motorcycles in the city of New York; provides enforcement mechanisms and penalties.
S02436 would prohibit any person or business from selling, leasing, or renting all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and off-highway motorcycles to another person within the City of New York. The bill creates separate city administrative code provisions for off-highway motorcycles and ATVs, defines those vehicles by reference to the Vehicle and Traffic Law, and makes each sale, lease, rental, or attempted transaction a separate violation. It also authorizes city agencies, including the police department and other mayor-designated agencies, to enforce the ban.
The bill establishes civil penalties of $1,000 for a first violation and $2,000 for each subsequent violation within one year. In addition to civil penalties, violations are treated as traffic infractions under state law, and vehicles used in violation of the ban may be impounded until towing, storage, fines, or a bond are paid. The bill also amends the Vehicle and Traffic Law’s ATV dealer provisions to clarify that dealers may not sell ATVs for retail sale unless they are identified and sold for use outside New York City, reinforcing the city-specific sales restriction.
If enacted, the bill would add a new city-level prohibition in the New York City Administrative Code and modify the Vehicle and Traffic Law to align dealer sales rules with that restriction. It would directly affect retailers, dealers, rental businesses, and other entities in New York City that sell or lease ATVs and off-highway motorcycles, while also giving city enforcement agencies new authority to issue penalties and impound vehicles. The measure would not ban ownership or use outright, but it would restrict the commercial supply of these vehicles within the city and create new enforcement and penalty mechanisms.
The bill appears to have received generally favorable support in the Senate, passing the Senate Cities 1 Committee by 6-1 and the Senate floor by 38-21 in 2025, with similar committee and floor margins again in 2026. Those vote totals suggest meaningful support but also notable opposition, indicating the proposal is not unanimous and remains politically contested. No committee transcript was provided, so the available record shows sentiment primarily through the vote margins rather than detailed debate.
The main point of contention is likely the scope of the sales ban and whether a city-specific prohibition is the right tool to address ATV and off-highway motorcycle concerns. Supporters appear to favor stronger local controls, enforcement authority, and impoundment powers to reduce illegal or unsafe use in New York City. Opponents likely object to restricting lawful commerce, the added penalties and impoundment provisions, and the burden placed on dealers and rental businesses, especially because the bill targets sales within the city rather than use alone.