NY State Senate Bill 2025-S5532

Senate Bill S5532

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Includes a class three bicycle with electric assist in the definition of limited use motorcycle

download bill text pdf

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Transportation Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Actions

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Feb 24, 2025	referred to transportation

2025-S5532 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Transportation
Law Section:: Vehicle and Traffic Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §121-b, V & T L

2025-S5532 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Includes a class three bicycle with electric assist in the definition of limited use motorcycle.

2025-S5532 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S5532

SPONSOR: HOYLMAN-SIGAL
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to including a
class three bicycle with electric assist in the definition of limited
use motorcycle

 
PURPOSE:

This bill classifies class three e-bikes as mopeds, requiring that such
e-bikes be registered with the Department of Motor Vehicles and that
operations of such e-bikes be licensed by the Department of Motor Vehi-
cles.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section one of this bill amends Section 121-b of Vehicle and Traffic Law
by adding class three bicycles with electric assist to the definition of
limited use motorcycles.

Section two of the bill relates to the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Class three e-bikes look like mopeds, drive like mopeds, but because of
the current operation of New York law, are not regulated like mopeds.
Specifically, class three e-bikes have throttles and can reach speeds of
up to 25 miles per hour - faster than many mopeds.  However, unlike
operators of mopeds, operators of class three e-bikes do not need driv-
er's licenses and do not need to register their vehicles with the state.
Moreover, class three e-bike operators can use bike lanes at dangerous
speeds. The law should treat class three vehicles akin to the limited
use motorcycles that they effectively are.

This bill will require drivers of class three e-bikes to possess a driv-
er's license and registration to operate such e-bikes. In doing so, it
will keep the fastest and most dangerous e-bikes out of bike lanes and
improve safety for pedestrians and other cyclists.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect 180 days after it becomes law.

2025-S5532 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   5532
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 24, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sen. HOYLMAN-SIGAL -- read twice and ordered printed, and
   when printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation
 
 AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to including  a
   class  three bicycle with electric assist in the definition of limited
   use motorcycle

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 121-b of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by
 chapter 160 of the laws of 1981, is amended to read as follows:
   § 121-b. Limited use motorcycle. (A) A limited use vehicle having only
 two  or  three wheels, with a seat or saddle for the operator. A limited
 use motorcycle having a maximum performance speed, of more  than  thirty
 miles per hour but not more than forty miles per hour shall be a class A
 limited  use  motorcycle.  A  limited  use  motorcycle  having a maximum
 performance speed of more than twenty miles per hour but not  more  than
 thirty  miles  per  hour,  shall  be a class B limited use motorcycle. A
 limited use motorcycle having a maximum performance speed  of  not  more
 than twenty miles per hour shall be a class C limited use motorcycle.
   (B)  A CLASS THREE BICYCLE WITH ELECTRIC ASSIST AS DEFINED IN SUBDIVI-
 SION (C) OF SECTION ONE HUNDRED TWO-C OF THIS ARTICLE.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition,  amend-
 ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
 tation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be  made  and
 completed on or before such effective date.
 
 
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD09570-02-5

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