Senate Bill S8680

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S8680

SPONSOR: COONEY
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to repeal subdivision 8 of section 1242 of the vehicle and traf-
fic law relating to the operation of bicycles with electric assist

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

Section one repeals subdivision 8 of section 1242 of the vehicle and
traffic law.

Section two provides the effective date.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Electric bikes ("e-bikes") have been increasingly adopted as an
ecofriendly, cheap alternative to driving a car. E-bikers, when compared
to traditional bikers, pose no additional safety risk on high-speed
highways.

              

A study conducted by the University of Tennessee, which is one of few
states that allow e-bikes on all roadways, examined the general safety
of e-bikes compared to regular bikes. The researchers used GPS tracking
data to examine different safety infractions, including wrong-way
riding, speed limit violations, stopping at stop-controlled inter-
sections, and stopping at intersections controlled by traffic lights.
There was no significant statistical difference between regular bikers'
and e-bikers' number of safety infractions.

Under current New York State Law, bicycles (including e-bikes) are
prohibited from riding on state expressways or interstate highways.
There are no further speed limit restrictions for regular bicycles.
However, current law provides that e-bikers may only ride on roadways
having a speed limit of thirty miles per hour or less. It is essential
to have parity in the law with both types of bicycles.

This legislation will repeal the current limit of e-bikes only being
allowed on roadways with a speed limit of thirty miles per hour or less.
Doing so will afford New Yorkers a greater incentive to adopt a reli-
able, economical and environmentally friendly transportation alterna-
tive.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:

None

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.