New York Assembly Bill A01254 Latest Draft

   
  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.