BILL NUMBER: S10700
SPONSOR: GONZALEZ
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the general business law and the vehicle traffic law, in
relation to regulating the sale and marketing of E-motos and electric
off-highway motorcycles
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This legislation would define the terms E-moto and Electric off-highway
motorcycle in the law, prohibit deceptive selling practices, prohibit
the sale of E-motos, and establish procedures for selling Electric off-
highway motorcycles.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends the general business law by adding a new three new
sections 391-ccc, 391-cccc, and 391-ccccc - defining terms, banning the
sale E-motos and regulating the sale of Electric off-highway motorcy-
cles, requiring notice for electronic devices that meet the definitions,
and prohibits deceptive selling practices.
Section 2 amends the vehicle and traffic law by adding a new subdivision
two to section 511-c - banning the sale of E-motos.
Section 3 establishes the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
On May 28, 2026, an electric scooter on the Queensboro Bridge that was
not street legal and had a top speed of over 50 miles per hour crashed
into a cyclist, killing both riders. The crash has highlighted the need
for increased legislation to address the influx of illegal high speed
motorized vehicles, also known as "e-motos." These high-speed machines
are able to reach speeds of 25 miles per hour or more, which is illegal
under state law. Under state and New York City law, electronic scooters
and bikes may travel at a maximum of 15 miles per hour.
While banned from city streets, these devices are still being sold
through distributors and resellers, particularly online retailers.
These devices are often deceptively and incorrectly marketed as e-bikes
or e-scooters, which are legally defined in state law and have limits on
maximum speeds they can travel. These practices can lead consumers to
believe they are purchasing and riding safe and legal vehicles.
This legislation would establish a definition of e-motos to legally
distinguish these unsafe and unlawful devices from legal and safe
e-bikes that are authorized under state law. It would further prohibit
the sale of e-motos that are not legal to ride on streets in New York
State, require retailers to provide a warning notice on devices that are
not legal to ride or to sell on streets, and ban false advertising and
marketing of illegal e-motos and legal vehicles.
Since their legalization in 2020, e-bikes and e-scooters have been woven
into the fabric of day-to-day life, from getting to work to ordering
from a delivery service. It is of the utmost importance to safeguard the
street legal modes of transport by cutting off the flow of illegal e-mo-
tos into our state and on our streets. Through this bill, we can protect
consumers from false advertising, restrict unsafe vehicles, and make our
streets safer for all.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
 
FISCAL IMPACT ON THE STATE:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

Statutes affected:
S10700: 511-c vehicle and traffic law, 511-c(2) vehicle and traffic law