BILL NUMBER: S8948
SPONSOR: RYAN C
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to manufactur-
ers providing bicycles with electric assist and electric scooters with
lights
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
In order to ensure safety uniformity, manufacturers must install perma-
nently affixed front and rear lighting on all e-bikes and e-scooters
shipped to New York State.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1242 of the vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding the new
subdivision 14 which would require all manufacturers that engage in the
business of shipping e-bikes in New York State to permanently affix
front and rear lighting on such e-bikes. The lamp on the front will emit
a white light visible during hours of darkness from a distance of at
least five hundred feet. The rear lamp will be red or amber lights visi-
ble to the rear for three hundred feet. At least one of such lights
shall be visible for two hundred feet from each side.
Section 1285 will be amended by adding a new subdivision 4 that extends
the same requirements in Section 1242 subdivision 14 to e-scooters.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission sets the federal standard
for all new bicycles, including e-bikes. These federal rules govern the
mandatory reflectors that must be installed by the manufacturers.
Motordriven cycles and motorcycles require manufacturer installed light-
ing. However, most states, including New York, currently put the onus
for complying with e-bike lighting requirements on the operator. In New
York, the operator is required to meet lighting requirements one-half
hour before sunrise and one-half hour after sunset. To ensure enhanced
statewide safety standards, for operators, pedestrians, and other motor
vehicles, manufacturers should provide permanently affixed lighting on
all e-bikes and e-scooters shipped to New York State.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New Bill.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
N/A
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have
become law.

Statutes affected:
S8948: 1242 vehicle and traffic law, 1285 vehicle and traffic law