Assembly Bill A8831

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8831
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               June 9, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. LUPARDO -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Transportation
 
 AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to  the  opera-
   tion of a three-wheeled vehicle
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. Subparagraphs (iv) and (vii) of paragraph (a)  of  subdivi-
 sion  2  of  section  501  of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by
 chapter 25 of the laws of 2022, are amended to read as follows:
   (iv) Class D. Such license shall be valid to operate any passenger  or
 limited  use  automobile or any truck with a GVWR of not more than twen-
 ty-six thousand pounds or any such vehicle towing a vehicle with a  GVWR
 of not more than ten thousand pounds, or any such vehicle towing another
 vehicle  with  a  GVWR  of  more  than ten thousand pounds provided such
 combination of vehicles has a GCWR of not more than twenty-six  thousand
 pounds,  or  any personal use vehicle with a GVWR of not more than twen-
 ty-six thousand pounds or any such vehicle towing a vehicle with a  GVWR
 of  not  more  than ten thousand pounds, except it shall not be valid to
 operate a tractor, a motorcycle other than a class B or  C  limited  use
 motorcycle, a vehicle used to transport passengers for hire or for which
 a hazardous materials endorsement is required, or a vehicle defined as a
 bus  in  subdivision  one  of section five hundred nine-a of this title.
 Such license also shall be valid to operate a three-wheeled motor  vehi-
 cle  that  has  [two  wheels  situated in the front and one wheel in the
 rear, has] a steering mechanism and seating which does not  require  the
 operator  to  straddle or sit astride, is equipped with safety belts for
 all occupants and is manufactured to comply with federal  motor  vehicle
 safety  standards  for  motorcycles  including,  but  not limited to, 49
 C.F.R. part 571.
   (vii) Class M. Such license shall be valid to operate any  motorcycle,
 or  any motorcycle, other than a limited use motorcycle, towing a trail-
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD13286-01-5
              

 A. 8831                             2
 
 er. Such license also shall be valid to operate  a  three-wheeled  motor
 vehicle  that has [two wheels situated in the front and one wheel in the
 rear, has] a steering mechanism and seating which does not  require  the
 operator  to  straddle or sit astride, is equipped with safety belts for
 all occupants and is manufactured to comply with federal  motor  vehicle
 safety  standards  for  motorcycles  including,  but  not limited to, 49
 C.F.R. part 571.
   § 2. Paragraph (b) of subdivision 4 of section 502 of the vehicle  and
 traffic  law,  as amended by chapter 379 of the laws of 2022, is amended
 to read as follows:
   (b) Upon successful completion of the requirements set forth in  para-
 graph  (a)  of  this subdivision which shall include an alcohol and drug
 education component as described in paragraph (c) of this subdivision, a
 "Road Rage" awareness component as described in paragraph (c-1) of  this
 subdivision,  a  "Work  Zone Safety" awareness component as described in
 paragraph (c-2) of this subdivision,  a  "Motorcycle  Safety"  awareness
 component as described in paragraph (c-3) of this subdivision, a "School
 Bus  Safety" awareness component as described in paragraph (c-4) of this
 subdivision, and a "Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety" awareness component
 as described in paragraph (c-5) of this  subdivision,  the  commissioner
 shall  cause the applicant to take a road test in a representative vehi-
 cle of a type prescribed by the commissioner which shall be  appropriate
 to  the  type  of license for which application is made, except that the
 commissioner may waive the road test requirements for certain classes of
 applicants. Provided, however, that the  term  "representative  vehicle"
 shall  not  include  a  three-wheeled motor vehicle that has [two wheels
 situated in the front and one wheel in the rear, has] a  steering  mech-
 anism and seating which does not require the operator to straddle or sit
 astride, is equipped with safety belts for all occupants and is manufac-
 tured to comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards for motorcy-
 cles including, but not limited to, 49 C.F.R. part 571. The commissioner
 shall  have the power to establish a program to allow persons other than
 employees of the department to  conduct  road  tests  in  representative
 vehicles  when  such tests are required for applicants to obtain a class
 A, B or C license. If [she] THE COMMISSIONER chooses to do so, [she] THE
 COMMISSIONER shall set forth [her] THEIR reasons in writing and  conduct
 a  public  hearing  on  the  matter.  [She] THE COMMMISSIONER shall only
 establish such a program after holding the public hearing.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.