NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A1254 Revised 04/29/25
SPONSOR: Bores TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to creating an
online safety course video for bicycles with electric assist
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
Requires businesses that use bicycles with electronic assist to require
certain employees and independent contractors to watch an online safety
course video.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section one directs the Department of Motor Vehicles to create a video
on the safe ownership and operation of e-bikes, covering topics like how
to operate safely around pedestrians and how to store batteries safely.
Section two requires that this video be free for anyone to view online.
Section three establishes that, if a company wants to hire someone for a
job involving e-bikes, that company must verify that the person they
want to hire has watched this video within the last year.
Section four establishes that,, if a company violates section three, the
company shall receive a civil penalty of up to $1,000 for every worker
that has not received the training, and that the attorney general shall
be able to investigate potential violations. This act will take effect
immediately with the exception of the enforcement that will be mandated
to start six months from the passage of this act.
JUSTIFICATION:
We all want our streets to be safe, and our streets are less dangerous
when everyone who operates a vehicle has been taught how to operate it
correctly. We protect pedestrians, motorists, and the people who ride
e-bikes by properly educating the public about e-bike safety. This bill
requires the DMV to create free, publicly accessible educational videos
regarding e-bike safety be it owning one, operating one, or general road
safety standards. This bill also stipulates that companies can only hire
or contract a person to do e-bike-related jobs if said individual has
watched these videos, certifying that they have been educated on road
and e-bike safety. That way, both e-bike job workers and pedestrians
alike can avoid injuries on the street. Everybody wins when everyone on
the road operates safely.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
A7938 of 2023/2024
A7938 - referred to transportation
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
None.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
1254
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 9, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. BORES, SEAWRIGHT -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to creating an
online safety course video for bicycles with electric assist
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
2 the "electric bicycle instruction and knowledge ensures safety (E-BIKES)
3 act".
4 § 2. The vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new section
5 1244 to read as follows:
6 § 1244. Online safety course video for bicycles with electric assist.
7 1. Businesses that use bicycles with electric assist shall require all
8 employees whose jobs include or could reasonably be expected to include
9 riding a bicycle with electric assist and all independent contractors
10 whose jobs include or could reasonably be expected to include riding a
11 bicycle with electric assist to view an online safety course video on
12 bicycles with electric assist, as created pursuant to subdivision two of
13 this section.
14 2. (a) Within twelve months of the effective date of this section, the
15 department shall be required to create and approve an online safety
16 course video for businesses to provide to all employees whose jobs
17 include or could reasonably be expected to include riding a bicycle with
18 electric assist and all independent contractors whose jobs include or
19 could reasonably be expected to include riding a bicycle with electric
20 assist pursuant to subdivision one of this section.
21 (b) Such video shall cover topics related to how to safely own and
22 operate bicycles with electric assist, including but not limited to how
23 to operate such bicycles in traffic and safely around pedestrians, safe-
24 ly using batteries for such bicycles, and best practices for buying and
25 storing such bicycles.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02267-01-5
A. 1254 2
1 (c) The department shall make such video freely and easily available
2 on the department's website.
3 (d) The department shall review such video no less than every twelve
4 months in order to ensure that its content remains consistent with best
5 practices. Upon completing each review, the department shall update the
6 video in whatever manner is necessary to make its content and recommen-
7 dations conform to current best practices.
8 3. It shall be unlawful for a business to allow any employee or inde-
9 pendent contractor to perform a task for such business that involves
10 riding a bicycle with electric assist, or could reasonably be expected
11 to involve riding a bicycle with electric assist, unless such employee
12 or contractor has viewed the online safety course video within the
13 previous calendar year.
14 4. The attorney general shall be authorized to impose a civil penalty
15 of up to one thousand dollars on a business for each person who has not
16 viewed the online safety course video within the previous calendar year
17 who such business employs or contracts to perform a task that involves,
18 or could reasonably be expected to involve, riding a bicycle with elec-
19 tric assist. The attorney general shall be authorized to take proof and
20 make a determination of the relevant facts and to issue subpoenas in
21 accordance with the civil practice law and rules.
22 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that
23 subdivisions 3 and 4 of section 1244 of the vehicle and traffic law, as
24 added by section one of this act, shall take effect eighteen months
25 after this act shall have become a law.
