Assembly Bill A10156

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   10156
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 12, 2026
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. GIGLIO -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Transportation
 
 AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to establishing
   bicycle  with  electric assist safety courses, requiring purchasers of
   bicycles with electric assist  to  provide  a  bicycle  with  electric
   assist  safety  certificate  and  requiring operators of bicycles with
   electric assist to carry identification when operating such bicycles
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  The  vehicle  and  traffic law is amended by adding a new
 section 1244 to read as follows:
   § 1244. BICYCLE WITH ELECTRIC ASSIST SAFETY COURSE. 1. THE COMMISSION-
 ER SHALL INITIATE  AND  PUT  INTO  EFFECT  A  COMPREHENSIVE  EDUCATIONAL
 PROGRAM  DESIGNED  TO ADVANCE BICYCLE WITH ELECTRIC ASSIST SAFETY, WHICH
 PROVIDES FOR THE TRAINING OF ALL PURCHASERS OF  BICYCLES  WITH  ELECTRIC
 ASSIST IN THE SAFE OPERATION OF SUCH BICYCLES.
   2.  "BICYCLE  WITH  ELECTRIC  ASSIST  SAFETY CERTIFICATE" SHALL MEAN A
 CERTIFICATE ISSUED BY THE COMMISSIONER EVIDENCING THAT THE HOLDER THERE-
 OF HAS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED A COURSE OF INSTRUCTION  IN  BICYCLE  WITH
 ELECTRIC  ASSIST  SAFETY  AS  PROVIDED IN THIS SECTION. THE COMMISSIONER
 SHALL PUT INTO EFFECT A PLAN FOR THE TRAINING OF ALL PURCHASERS, AND  IN
 THE  CASE  OF  PURCHASES BY MINORS, THE PARENT OR GUARDIAN OF SUCH MINOR
 PURCHASERS, OF BICYCLES WITH ELECTRIC ASSIST AND THE ISSUANCE OF BICYCLE
 WITH ELECTRIC ASSIST SAFETY  CERTIFICATES.  FOR  THE  PURPOSES  OF  THIS
 SECTION,  THE  TERM  "BICYCLE WITH ELECTRIC ASSIST SAFETY" SHALL INCLUDE
 INSTRUCTION IN THE LAWS RELATING TO AND SAFE OPERATION OF BICYCLES  WITH
 ELECTRIC ASSIST.
   3. "BICYCLE WITH ELECTRIC ASSIST SAFETY CERTIFICATE" SHALL ALSO MEAN A
 CERTIFICATE ISSUED BY THE COMMISSIONER EVIDENCING THAT THE HOLDER THERE-
 OF HAS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED A COURSE OF INSTRUCTION IN THE LAWS RELAT-
 ING  TO AND SAFE OPERATION OF BICYCLES WITH ELECTRIC ASSIST. THE COMMIS-
 SIONER IS AUTHORIZED TO COLLECT A FEE NOT TO EXCEED TEN DOLLARS FOR  THE
 ISSUANCE OF SUCH CERTIFICATE.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD14613-02-6
              

 A. 10156                            2
 
   4.  THE  COMMISSIONER IS AUTHORIZED AND DIRECTED TO ESTABLISH A SYSTEM
 FOR TRACKING AND REPLACING BICYCLE WITH ELECTRIC ASSIST  SAFETY  CERTIF-
 ICATES  ISSUED  BY THE COMMISSIONER. THE COMMISSIONER IS FURTHER AUTHOR-
 IZED TO REQUIRE THAT ANY OTHER ENTITY APPROVED BY  THE  COMMISSIONER  TO
 PROVIDE  COURSES  OF  INSTRUCTION AND AWARD BICYCLE WITH ELECTRIC ASSIST
 SAFETY CERTIFICATES ESTABLISH A SYSTEM FOR TRACKING AND REPLACING  BICY-
 CLE  WITH  ELECTRIC  ASSIST  SAFETY  CERTIFICATES  SO  AS  TO ENABLE THE
 REPLACEMENT OF LOST OR STOLEN CERTIFICATES TO THOSE WHO HAVE  PREVIOUSLY
 BEEN AWARDED SUCH CERTIFICATES.
   5.  FOR THE PURPOSE OF GIVING SUCH COURSES OF INSTRUCTION AND AWARDING
 BICYCLE WITH ELECTRIC ASSIST SAFETY CERTIFICATES, THE  COMMISSIONER  MAY
 DESIGNATE  AS THE COMMISSIONER'S AGENT ANY PERSON THE COMMISSIONER DEEMS
 QUALIFIED TO ACT IN SUCH CAPACITY. NO CHARGE WHATSOEVER SHALL BE MADE TO
 ANY PERSON LESS THAN EIGHTEEN YEARS OF AGE FOR THE ISSUANCE OF A BICYCLE
 WITH ELECTRIC ASSIST SAFETY  CERTIFICATE.  PERSONS  LESS  THAN  EIGHTEEN
 YEARS  OF AGE MAY BE CHARGED A FEE FOR INSTRUCTION IN BICYCLE WITH ELEC-
 TRIC ASSIST SAFETY, EXCEPT THAT THE OFFICE MAY NOT  CHARGE  A  FEE  WHEN
 PROVIDING SUCH INSTRUCTION TO PERSONS LESS THAN EIGHTEEN YEARS OF AGE.
   6.  THE  COMMISSIONER IS AUTHORIZED, AT THE COMMISSIONER'S DISCRETION,
 TO DEVELOP A METHOD FOR APPROVING INTERNET-BASED BICYCLE  WITH  ELECTRIC
 ASSIST  SAFETY  COURSES  AS  AN APPROPRIATE AND EFFECTIVE METHOD FOR THE
 ADMINISTRATION AND COMPLETION OF TRAINING IN THE LAWS  RELATING  TO  AND
 SAFE  OPERATION  OF  BICYCLES  WITH  ELECTRIC ASSIST FOR THE PURPOSES OF
 AWARDING A BICYCLE WITH ELECTRIC ASSIST SAFETY CERTIFICATE  PURSUANT  TO
 THIS  SECTION.  ALL APPROVED INTERNET-BASED BICYCLE WITH ELECTRIC ASSIST
 SAFETY COURSES SHALL EMPLOY METHODS TO ENSURE ATTENDANCE OF THE  STUDENT
 THROUGHOUT THE COURSE.
   §  2. Section 1242 of the vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding
 two new subdivisions 14 and 15 to read as follows:
   14. NO PERSON, FIRM, ASSOCIATION OR CORPORATION ENGAGED IN  THE  BUSI-
 NESS  OF  SELLING OR LEASING BICYCLES WITH ELECTRIC ASSIST SHALL SELL OR
 LEASE ANY BICYCLE WITH ELECTRIC ASSIST  UNLESS  THE  PURCHASER  OF  SUCH
 BICYCLE  PROVIDES  A  BICYCLE  WITH  ELECTRIC  ASSIST SAFETY CERTIFICATE
 ISSUED PURSUANT TO SECTION TWELVE HUNDRED FORTY-FOUR OF THIS ARTICLE. IF
 THE PURCHASER OF A BICYCLE WITH ELECTRIC ASSIST IS  A  MINOR,  OR  IF  A
 BICYCLE  WITH  ELECTRIC ASSIST IS BEING PURCHASED FOR A MINOR, THEN BOTH
 THE MINOR AND THE PARENT OR GUARDIAN OF SUCH MINOR SHALL EACH PROVIDE  A
 BICYCLE WITH ELECTRIC ASSIST SAFETY CERTIFICATE CERTIFYING THAT BOTH THE
 MINOR  AND THE PARENT OR GUARDIAN OF SUCH MINOR HAVE COMPLETED A BICYCLE
 WITH ELECTRIC ASSIST SAFETY  COURSE  AS  REQUIRED  PURSUANT  TO  SECTION
 TWELVE HUNDRED FORTY-FOUR OF THIS ARTICLE.
   15. EVERY OPERATOR OF A BICYCLE WITH ELECTRIC ASSIST SHALL CARRY IDEN-
 TIFICATION  WITH  THEM WHEN OPERATING SUCH BICYCLE WITH ELECTRIC ASSIST.
 FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS  SUBDIVISION,  "IDENTIFICATION"  SHALL  MEAN  A
 DRIVERS' LICENSE, STATE-ISSUED IDENTIFICATION CARD, OR, WHERE THE OPERA-
 TOR IS A MINOR, A SCHOOL-ISSUED IDENTIFICATION CARD.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.