STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 3725 2025-2026 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY January 30, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. ALVAREZ -- read once and referred to the Commit- tee on Transportation AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to electric scooters and bicycles with electric assist; and to amend the executive law, in relation to establishing the safe streets bureau 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 "take back our streets act". 3 § 2. Section 410 of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chapter 4 459 of the laws of 1970, subdivision 3 as amended by chapter 466 of the 5 laws of 2013, subdivision 4 as amended by chapter 137 of the laws of 6 1989, subdivision 5 as amended by chapter 435 of the laws of 1997 and 7 paragraph a of subdivision 5 as amended by section 2 of part UU of chap- 8 ter 59 of the laws of 2018, is amended to read as follows: 9 § 410. Registration of motorcycles, moped, electric scooters and bicy- 10 cles with electric assist; fees; renewals. 1. Registration by owners. No 11 motorcycles, mopeds, electric scooters or bicycles with electric assist 12 shall be operated or driven upon the public highways of this state with- 13 out first being registered in accordance with the provisions of this 14 article, except as otherwise expressly provided in this chapter. 15 Every owner of a motorcycle, moped, electric scooter or bicycle with 16 electric assist which shall be operated or driven upon the public high- 17 ways of this state shall, except as otherwise expressly provided, cause 18 to be filed, by mail or otherwise, in the office or a branch office of 19 the commissioner, or with an agent of the commissioner, constituted as 20 provided in this chapter, an application for registration, addressed to 21 the commissioner, and on a blank to be prepared under the direction of 22 and furnished by the commissioner for that purpose, containing: 23 (a) A brief description of the motorcycle, moped, electric scooter or 24 bicycle with electric assist to be registered, including the name of the EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD05054-01-5
A. 3725 2 1 manufacturer and factory number of such vehicle; (b) the name, resi- 2 dence, including county and business address of the owner of such motor- 3 cycle, moped, electric scooter or bicycle with electric assist. 4 2. Registration record. Upon the receipt of a sufficient application 5 for registration, as provided in this article, the commissioner or agent 6 receiving it shall register such motorcycle, moped, electric scooter or 7 bicycle with electric assist, and maintain a record of the registration 8 of such motorcycle, moped, electric scooter or bicycle with electric 9 assist under the distinctive number assigned to such motorcycle, moped, 10 electric scooter or bicycle with electric assist, as provided in this 11 section, and the information in such record may be obtained upon payment 12 of the fees specified in section two hundred two of this chapter. 13 3. Certificate of registration. a. Upon the filing of such application 14 and the payment of the fee hereinafter provided, the commissioner shall 15 assign to such motorcycle, moped, electric scooter or bicycle with elec- 16 tric assist a distinctive number and, without expense to the applicant, 17 issue and deliver in such manner as the commissioner may select to the 18 owner a certificate of registration, in such form as the commissioner 19 may prescribe, and a number plate at a place within the state of New 20 York named by the applicant in [his] such applicant's application. In 21 the event of the loss, mutilation or destruction of any certificate of 22 registration or number plate, the owner of a registered vehicle may file 23 such statement and proof of the facts as the commissioner shall require, 24 with a fee of three dollars, in the office of the commissioner, or, 25 unless and until the commissioner shall otherwise direct, in the office 26 of the agent who issued the certificate or plate and the commissioner or 27 [his] such commissioner's agent, as the case may be, shall issue a 28 duplicate or substitute. No application for registration shall be 29 accepted unless the applicant is at least sixteen years of age. 30 b. Upon the issuance of a certificate of registration, the commission- 31 er shall provide the owner of such vehicle with a notice regarding the 32 laws governing unidentifiable motorcycle parts, in such form and manner 33 as the commissioner may prescribe. 34 c. Upon the issuance of a certificate of registration, the commission- 35 er shall provide the owner of such vehicle with a notice regarding the 36 laws governing motorcycles, mopeds, electric scooters and bicycles with 37 electric assist, in such form and manner as the commissioner may 38 prescribe. 39 4. Times for registration and reregistration. Registration applied for 40 and certificates issued under any application shall expire on a date 41 determined by the commissioner. Registration shall be renewed period- 42 ically in the same manner and upon payment of the same annual fee as 43 provided in this section for registration, to take effect and to expire 44 on dates to be determined by the commissioner. Provided, however, that 45 the commissioner shall have authority to fix the length of time for 46 which any such vehicle which is registered without fee shall be regis- 47 tered. Provided further, however, that renewal of a registration may be 48 used preceding the expiration date of such registration including such 49 expiration date. 50 5. Registration fees. a. The annual fee for registration or reregis- 51 tration of a motorcycle shall be eleven dollars and fifty cents. Begin- 52 ning April first, nineteen hundred ninety-eight the annual fee for 53 registration or reregistration of a motorcycle shall be seventeen 54 dollars and fifty cents.
A. 3725 3 1 b. The annual fee for registration or reregistration of a moped, an 2 electric scooter or bicycle with electric assist shall be twenty-five 3 dollars. 4 c. Where a registration is made for a period of more or less than one 5 calendar year, the registration fee shall not be prorated. The 6 provisions hereof with respect to the payment of registration fees shall 7 not apply to motorcycles owned or controlled by the state, a city, coun- 8 ty, village or town or any of the departments thereof, or any school 9 district or county extension service association, but in other respects 10 shall be applicable. 11 6. Fees in lieu of taxes. The registration fees imposed by this arti- 12 cle upon such vehicles shall be in lieu of all taxes, general or local, 13 to which motorcycles, mopeds, electric scooters or bicycles with elec- 14 tric assist may be subject. 15 6-a. The commissioner, in consultation with the commissioner of trans- 16 portation, shall be responsible for creating a public outreach and 17 education campaign informing the public concerning the statutory regis- 18 tration requirements for motorcycles, mopeds, electric scooters or bicy- 19 cles with electric assist. 20 7. "Motorcycle" as used in this section shall mean a motorcycle as 21 defined by section one hundred twenty-three of this chapter. 22 8. "Electric scooter" as used in this section shall mean a motorcycle 23 as defined by section one hundred fourteen-e of this chapter. 24 9. "Bicycle with electric assist" as used in this section shall mean a 25 motorcycle as defined by section one hundred two-c of this chapter. 26 10. "Moped" as used in this section shall mean a limited use motorcy- 27 cle as defined in section one hundred twenty-one-b of this chapter. 28 § 3. Section 410-a of the vehicle and traffic law, as added by chapter 29 435 of the laws of 1997 and subdivision 2 as amended by chapter 253 of 30 the laws of 2008, is amended to read as follows: 31 § 410-a. Motorcycle, moped, electric scooter and bicycle with elec- 32 tric assist safety program. 1. The commissioner shall establish and 33 administer a motorcycle, moped, electric scooter and bicycle with elec- 34 tric assist safety program which shall consist of approved motorcycle 35 rider training courses, motorcycle course instructor training, program 36 promotion, and public awareness. Approved rider training courses shall 37 meet nationally recognized standards for motorcycle, moped, electric 38 scooter and bicycle with electric assist rider training courses, or 39 standards for motorcycle, moped, electric scooter and bicycle with 40 electric assist rider safety programs which are approved by the depart- 41 ment and are comparable to the standards of the motorcycle safety foun- 42 dation's motorcycle rider safety program. Approved courses shall include 43 at least eight hours of instruction in the actual operation of a motor- 44 cycle, moped, electric scooter and bicycle with electric assist. Monies 45 from the motorcycle safety fund established pursuant to section ninety- 46 two-g of the state finance law shall be used for the establishment and 47 implementation of this program. 48 2. The commissioner shall issue a request for proposals for the coor- 49 dination of a motorcycle, moped, electric scooter and bicycle with 50 electric assist safety program which shall set requirements for the 51 preparation of bids. The commissioner shall enter into a contract, for a 52 period of five years, with a motorcycle, moped, electric scooter and 53 bicycle with electric assist rider training coordinating organization 54 selected pursuant to such process. The contract shall be awarded follow- 55 ing the consideration of factors which shall include, but not be limited 56 to, the most favorable financial advantage for the state, the greatest
A. 3725 4 1 utility to the motorcyclist, the comprehensiveness and effectiveness of 2 such organization and its compatibility with the existing rider educa- 3 tion programs. The motorcycle, moped, electric scooter and bicycle 4 with electric assist rider training coordination organization shall be 5 subject to periodic reporting requirements established by the department 6 outlining the administration and effectiveness of its program and an 7 itemization of all motorcycle safety fund allocations. Such motorcycle, 8 moped, electric scooter and bicycle with electric assist rider training 9 coordinating organization shall have at least three years experience in 10 the administration of a statewide motorcycle, moped, electric scooter 11 and bicycle with electric assist rider education program, and have as 12 its administrator an individual who has no financial or proprietary 13 interest in a motorcycle, moped, electric scooter and bicycle with 14 electric assist training school or facility. 15 3. The motorcycle, moped, electric scooter and bicycle with electric 16 assist rider training coordinating organization shall submit to the 17 commissioner for approval requests for advances pursuant to a contract 18 and reimbursements from the motorcycle safety fund for equipment, oper- 19 ating and administrative costs and other expenses necessary to carry out 20 the provisions of this section. The commissioner shall approve all such 21 requests for expenditures that are in accordance with the provisions of 22 this section. 23 4. The commissioner shall annually file a report on expenditures from 24 the motorcycle safety fund, established pursuant to section ninety-two-g 25 of the state finance law, with the legislature. Such report shall 26 include the name of the funded motorcycle, moped, electric scooter and 27 bicycle with electric assist rider training coordinating organization 28 and the amount of funds distributed to it and shall provide an evalu- 29 ation of the overall effectiveness of the funded programs and any recom- 30 mendations for programmatic changes. 31 § 4. Section 411 of the vehicle and traffic law is amended to read as 32 follows: 33 § 411. Distinctive number; form of number plates. 1. No person shall 34 operate or drive a motorcycle, moped or electric scooter on the public 35 highways of this state unless such motorcycle, moped or electric scooter 36 shall have a distinctive number assigned to it by the commissioner and a 37 number plate issued by the commissioner with a number corresponding to 38 that of the certificate of registration conspicuously displayed on the 39 rear of such motorcycle, moped or electric scooter, securely fastened so 40 as to prevent the same from swinging. 41 2. Such number plates shall be of such material, form, design and 42 dimensions and contain or set forth such distinguishing number or other 43 identification marks as the commissioner shall prescribe, provided, 44 however, that there shall be at all times a marked contrast between the 45 color of the number plates and that of the numerals or letters thereon, 46 and provided further that no motorcycle, moped or electric scooter shall 47 display the number plates of more than one state at a time, nor shall 48 any plate be used other than those issued by the commissioner. 49 3. No person shall operate or drive a motorcycle, moped or electric 50 scooter upon the public highways of this state having displayed thereon 51 a number plate not proper for such motorcycle, moped or electric scooter 52 under the provisions of this chapter and, upon conviction for this 53 offense, the number plate shall be surrendered to the court for delivery 54 to the commissioner. 55 4. No person shall knowingly authorize or permit a number plate issued 56 for a motorcycle, moped or electric scooter owned and registered by
A. 3725 5 1 [him] such person to be displayed on any motorcycle other than a motor- 2 cycle, moped or electric scooter to which such number plate has been 3 assigned by the commissioner, or upon which such number plate may legal- 4 ly be displayed under a temporary certificate of registration issued by 5 a dealer under the provisions of section four hundred twenty of this 6 [chapter] title. 7 § 5. Section 412 of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chapter 8 61 of the laws of 1989, is amended to read as follows: 9 § 412. Punishment for violation. 1. The violation of any of the 10 provisions of section four hundred ten of this [chapter] article 11 pertaining to motorcycles shall be punishable by a fine of not less than 12 fifty nor more than two hundred dollars, or by imprisonment for not more 13 than fifteen days, or by both such fine and imprisonment except, if the 14 violation consists of failure to renew a registration which was valid 15 within sixty days, the fine shall be not less than twenty-five dollars. 16 A violation of any of the provisions of section four hundred eleven of 17 this [chapter] article pertaining to motorcycles shall be punishable by 18 a fine of not less than twenty-five nor more than two hundred dollars or 19 by imprisonment for not more than fifteen days, or by both such fine and 20 imprisonment. 21 2. The violation of any of the provisions of section four hundred ten 22 of this article pertaining to mopeds, electric scooters, or bicycles 23 with electric assist shall be punishable by a fine of not less than two 24 hundred nor more than five hundred dollars, or by imprisonment for not 25 more than thirty days, or by both such fine and imprisonment except, if 26 the violation consists of failure to renew a registration which was 27 valid within sixty days, the fine shall be not less than fifty dollars. 28 A violation of any of the provisions of section four hundred eleven of 29 this article pertaining to mopeds or electric scooters shall be punisha- 30 ble by a fine of not less than two hundred nor more than five hundred 31 dollars or by imprisonment for not more than thirty days, or by both 32 such fine and imprisonment. 33 § 6. The vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new section 34 2267-A to read as follows: 35 § 2267-A. Punishment for violation. The violation of any of the 36 provisions of section twenty-two hundred sixty-seven of this article 37 shall be punishable by a fine of not less than five thousand dollars, or 38 by imprisonment for not more than fifteen days, or by both such fine and 39 imprisonment. 40 § 7. The vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new section 41 1225-aa to read as follows: 42 § 1225-aa. Operation of mopeds, electric scooters, or bicycles with 43 electric assist on sidewalks. 1. No person shall drive mopeds, electric 44 scooters, or bicycles with electric assist on or across a sidewalk, 45 except that a moped, electric scooter, or bicycle with electric assist 46 may be driven at a reasonable speed, but not more than five miles per 47 hour, on or across a sidewalk in such manner as not to interfere with 48 the safety and passage of pedestrians thereon, who shall have the right 49 of way, when it is reasonable and necessary: 50 (a) to gain access to a public highway, private way or lands or build- 51 ings adjacent to such highway or way; 52 (b) in the conduct of work upon a highway, or upon a private way or 53 lands or buildings adjacent to such highway or way; or 54 (c) to plow snow or perform any other public service, for hire, or 55 otherwise, which could not otherwise be reasonably and properly 56 performed.
A. 3725 6 1 2. A violation of this section shall constitute a class A misdemeanor. 2 § 8. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 236 to read 3 as follows: 4 § 236. Safe streets bureau. The superintendent shall, within the New 5 York state police, create a patrol and enforcement bureau for mopeds, 6 electric scooters and bicycles with electric assist, and assign to it 7 members of the New York state police in such numbers and appoint to it 8 such investigative specialists in such numbers as may be required for 9 the purpose of preventing, investigating and detecting violations of the 10 criminal laws and vehicle and traffic laws of the state, and conducting 11 such other investigations as may be provided for by law. Members of the 12 state police assigned or appointed to the safe streets bureau are 13 empowered to cooperate with municipal police departments in the investi- 14 gation of violations of laws within this state. The superintendent may, 15 from time to time, establish headquarters or stations in the city of New 16 York as they shall deem most suitable for the efficient operation of the 17 safe streets bureau. 18 § 9. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall 19 have become a law.