Bill Text: NY S01591 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Defines "electric assisted bicycles" and implements additional requirements for operating such bicycles.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-01-08 - REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION [S01591 Detail]
Download: New_York-2019-S01591-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 1591 2019-2020 Regular Sessions IN SENATE January 15, 2019 ___________ Introduced by Sens. O'MARA, BENJAMIN, BROOKS, CARLUCCI, RANZENHOFER, SEPULVEDA, TEDISCO -- 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, the highway law and the general municipal law, in relation to the regulation of electric assisted bicycles The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new 2 section 102-c to read as follows: 3 § 102-c. Electric assisted bicycle. A bicycle equipped with fully 4 operable pedals and an electric motor with an output of less than seven 5 hundred fifty watts (one horsepower) whereby such electric motor engages 6 only when the operator is pedaling and disengages or ceases to function 7 when such bicycle's brakes are applied, the operator stops pedaling, or 8 such bicycle achieves a speed of twenty miles per hour or more. 9 § 2. Section 121-b of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chap- 10 ter 160 of the laws of 1981, is amended to read as follows: 11 § 121-b. Limited use motorcycle. A limited use vehicle having only two 12 or three wheels, with a seat or saddle for the operator, except electric 13 assisted bicycles as defined in section one hundred two-c of this arti- 14 cle. A limited use motorcycle having a maximum performance speed[,] of 15 more than thirty miles per hour but not more than forty miles per hour 16 shall be a class A limited use motorcycle. A limited use motorcycle 17 having a maximum performance speed of more than twenty miles per hour 18 but not more than thirty miles per hour, shall be a class B limited use 19 motorcycle. A limited use motorcycle having a maximum performance speed 20 of not more than twenty miles per hour shall be a class C limited use 21 motorcycle. 22 § 3. Section 125 of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chapter 23 365 of the laws of 2008, is amended to read as follows: EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD05810-01-9S. 1591 2 1 § 125. Motor vehicles. Every vehicle operated or driven upon a public 2 highway which is propelled by any power other than muscular power, 3 except (a) electrically-driven mobility assistance devices operated or 4 driven by a person with a disability, (a-1) electric personal assistive 5 mobility devices operated outside a city with a population of one 6 million or more, (b) vehicles which run only upon rails or tracks, (c) 7 snowmobiles as defined in article forty-seven of this chapter, [and] (d) 8 all terrain vehicles as defined in article forty-eight-B of this 9 chapter, and (e) electric assisted bicycles as defined in section one 10 hundred two-c of this article. For the purposes of title four of this 11 chapter, the term motor vehicle shall exclude fire and police vehicles 12 other than ambulances. For the purposes of titles four and five of this 13 chapter the term motor vehicles shall exclude farm type tractors and all 14 terrain type vehicles used exclusively for agricultural purposes, or for 15 snow plowing, other than for hire, farm equipment, including self-pro- 16 pelled machines used exclusively in growing, harvesting or handling farm 17 produce, and self-propelled caterpillar or crawler-type equipment while 18 being operated on the contract site. 19 § 4. Section 159 of the vehicle and traffic law is amended to read as 20 follows: 21 § 159. Vehicle. Every device in, upon, or by which any person or prop- 22 erty is or may be transported or drawn upon a highway, except devices 23 moved by human power or used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks 24 and electric assisted bicycles as defined in section one hundred two-c 25 of this article. 26 § 5. Section 1230 of the vehicle and traffic law, subdivision (b) as 27 amended by chapter 694 of the laws of 1995, is amended to read as 28 follows: 29 § 1230. Effect of regulations. (a) The parent of any child and the 30 guardian of any ward shall not authorize or knowingly permit any such 31 child or ward to violate any of the provisions of this article. 32 (b) These regulations applicable to bicycles, electric assisted bicy- 33 cles, or to in-line skates shall apply whenever a bicycle or electric 34 assisted bicycle is, or in-line skates are, operated upon any highway, 35 upon private roads open to public motor vehicle traffic and upon any 36 path set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles, electric assisted 37 bicycles, or in-line skates, or [both] all. 38 § 6. Section 1231 of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chap- 39 ter 694 of the laws of 1995, is amended to read as follows: 40 § 1231. Traffic laws apply to persons riding bicycles or electric 41 assisted bicycles or skating or gliding on in-line skates. Every person 42 riding a bicycle or electric assisted bicycle or skating or gliding on 43 in-line skates upon a roadway shall be granted all of the rights and 44 shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a 45 vehicle by this title, except as to special regulations in this article 46 and except as to those provisions of this title which by their nature 47 can have no application. 48 § 7. Section 1232 of the vehicle and traffic law is amended to read as 49 follows: 50 § 1232. Riding on bicycles and electric assisted bicycles. (a) A 51 person propelling a bicycle or electric assisted bicycle shall not ride 52 other than upon or astride a permanent and regular seat attached there- 53 to, nor shall he ride with his feet removed from the pedals. 54 (b) No bicycle or electric assisted bicycle shall be used to carry 55 more persons at one time than the number for which it is designed and 56 equipped.S. 1591 3 1 § 8. The vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new section 2 1232-a to read as follows: 3 § 1232-a. Additional requirements for operating an electric assisted 4 bicycle. (a) No person shall operate or park an electric assisted bicy- 5 cle on any public highway or street in this state unless a legible label 6 is permanently affixed by the bicycle or pedal assisted motor manufac- 7 turer, in a prominent location, on such person's electric assisted bicy- 8 cle. Such label shall contain the maximum speed, and motor wattage of 9 the electric assisted bicycle, and shall be printed in arial font in at 10 least nine-point type. On and after January first, two thousand twen- 11 ty-one, manufacturers and distributors of electric assisted bicycles 12 shall apply a label that is permanently affixed, in a prominent 13 location, to each electric assisted bicycle. The label shall contain the 14 top assisted speed, and motor wattage of electric assisted bicycle, and 15 shall be printed in arial font in at least nine-point type. 16 (b) No person shall permit any label required by subdivision (a) of 17 this section to be affixed to an electric assisted bicycle to become 18 illegible. 19 (c) No person or entity shall park or otherwise make available any 20 electric assisted bicycle for use or operation by another on any public 21 highway or street in the state unless a legible label is permanently 22 affixed in a manner which meets the requirements of paragraph (a) of 23 this section. 24 (d) The court shall waive any fine for which a person who violates the 25 provisions of paragraph (a) of this section is liable if such person 26 supplies the court with (1) proof that between the date of violation and 27 the appearance date for such violation, such label was repaired or 28 replaced in a manner which meets the requirements of paragraph (a) of 29 this section; or (2) proof that such electric assisted bicycle had been 30 operated in violation of this section within the duration of a short 31 term lease or other agreement. 32 (e) Every manufacturer of an electric assisted bicycle shall certify, 33 at a minimum, that it complies with the equipment and manufacturing 34 requirements for bicycles adopted by the United States consumer product 35 safety commission (16 C.F.R. 1512.1, et seq.). 36 § 9. Subdivision 1 of section 1233 of the vehicle and traffic law, as 37 amended by chapter 703 of the laws of 2004, is amended to read as 38 follows: 39 1. No person riding upon any bicycle, electric assisted bicycle, 40 coaster, in-line skates, roller skates, skate board, sled, or toy vehi- 41 cle shall attach the same or himself or herself to any vehicle being 42 operated upon a roadway. 43 § 10. Section 1234 of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chap- 44 ter 16 of the laws of 1996, is amended to read as follows: 45 § 1234. Riding on roadways, shoulders, bicycle, electric assisted 46 bicycle or in-line skate lanes and bicycle or in-line skate paths. (a) 47 Upon all roadways, any bicycle, electric assisted bicycle or in-line 48 skate shall be driven either on a usable bicycle or in-line skate lane 49 or, if a usable bicycle or in-line skate lane has not been provided, 50 near the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway or upon a usable right- 51 hand shoulder in such a manner as to prevent undue interference with the 52 flow of traffic except when preparing for a left turn or when reasonably 53 necessary to avoid conditions that would make it unsafe to continue 54 along near the right-hand curb or edge. Conditions to be taken into 55 consideration include, but are not limited to, fixed or moving objects, 56 vehicles, bicycles, electric assisted bicycles, in-line skates, pedes-S. 1591 4 1 trians, animals, surface hazards or traffic lanes too narrow for a bicy- 2 cle, or electric assisted bicycle or person on in-line skates and a 3 vehicle to travel safely side-by-side within the lane. 4 (b) Persons riding bicycles or electric assisted bicycles or skating 5 or gliding on in-line skates upon a roadway shall not ride more than two 6 abreast. Persons riding bicycles or electric assisted bicycles or skat- 7 ing or gliding on in-line skates upon a shoulder, bicycle or in-line 8 skate lane, or bicycle or in-line skates path, intended for the use of 9 bicycles or in-line skates may ride two or more abreast if sufficient 10 space is available, except that when passing a vehicle, bicycle, elec- 11 tric assisted bicycle or person on in-line skates, or pedestrian, stand- 12 ing or proceeding along such shoulder, lane or path, persons riding 13 bicycles or electric assisted bicycles or skating or gliding on in-line 14 skates shall ride, skate, or glide single file. Persons riding bicycles 15 or electric assisted bicycles or skating or gliding on in-line skates 16 upon a roadway shall ride, skate, or glide single file when being over- 17 taken by a vehicle. 18 (c) Any person operating a bicycle or electric assisted bicycle or 19 skating or gliding on in-line skates who is entering the roadway from a 20 private road, driveway, alley or over a curb shall come to a full stop 21 before entering the roadway. 22 § 11. Section 1235 of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chap- 23 ter 703 of the laws of 2004, is amended to read as follows: 24 § 1235. Carrying articles. No person operating a bicycle or electric 25 assisted bicycle shall carry any package, bundle, or article which 26 prevents the driver from keeping at least one hand upon the handle bars. 27 No person skating or gliding on in-line skates shall carry any package, 28 bundle, or article which obstructs his or her vision in any direction. 29 No person operating a skate board shall carry any package, bundle, or 30 article which obstructs his or her vision in any direction. 31 § 12. Section 1236 of the vehicle and traffic law, subdivision (a) as 32 amended by chapter 16 of the laws of 2009 and subdivisions (d) and (e) 33 as added by chapter 887 of the laws of 1976, is amended to read as 34 follows: 35 § 1236. Lamps and other equipment on bicycles and electric assisted 36 bicycles. (a) Every bicycle or electric assisted bicycle when in use 37 during the period from one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour 38 before sunrise shall be equipped with a lamp on the front which shall 39 emit a white light visible during hours of darkness from a distance of 40 at least five hundred feet to the front and with a red or amber light 41 visible to the rear for three hundred feet. Effective July first, nine- 42 teen hundred seventy-six, at least one of these lights shall be visible 43 for two hundred feet from each side. 44 (b) No person shall operate a bicycle or electric assisted bicycle 45 unless it is equipped with a bell or other device capable of giving a 46 signal audible for a distance of at least one hundred feet, except that 47 a bicycle or electric assisted bicycle shall not be equipped with nor 48 shall any person use upon a bicycle or electric assisted bicycle any 49 siren or whistle. 50 (c) Every bicycle or electric assisted bicycle shall be equipped with 51 a brake which will enable the operator to make the braked wheels skid on 52 dry, level, clean pavement, provided, however, such brake of an electric 53 assisted bicycle shall also operate in a manner so that the electric 54 motor is disengaged or ceases to function when the brake is applied. 55 (d) Every new bicycle or electric assisted bicycle shall be equipped 56 with reflective tires or, alternately, a reflex reflector mounted on theS. 1591 5 1 spokes of each wheel, said tires and reflectors to be of types approved 2 by the commissioner. The reflex reflector mounted on the front wheel 3 shall be colorless or amber, and the reflex reflector mounted on the 4 rear wheel shall be colorless or red. 5 (e) Every bicycle or electric assisted bicycle when in use during the 6 period from one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise 7 shall be equipped with reflective devices or material meeting the stand- 8 ards established by rules and regulations promulgated by the commission- 9 er; provided, however, that such standards shall not be inconsistent 10 with or otherwise conflict with the requirements of subdivisions (a) and 11 (d) of this section. 12 § 13. Section 1238 of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chap- 13 ter 267 of the laws of 1993, paragraph (a) of subdivision 2 and para- 14 graphs (a) and (b) of subdivision 5 as amended by chapter 457 of the 15 laws of 1999, subdivisions 2-a, 5-a, 9 and 10 and paragraph (c) of 16 subdivision 6 as amended by chapter 703 of the laws of 2004, subdivision 17 5 as amended by chapter 132 of the laws of 1994, subdivision 5-b as 18 added and paragraph (a) of subdivision 6 as amended by chapter 402 of 19 the laws of 2001 and subdivision 8 as amended by chapter 694 of the laws 20 of 1995, is amended to read as follows: 21 § 1238. Passengers on bicycles or electric assisted bicycles under one 22 year of age prohibited; passengers and operators under fourteen years of 23 age to wear protective headgear. 1. No person operating a bicycle or 24 electric assisted bicycle shall allow a person who is under one year of 25 age to ride as a passenger on a bicycle or electric assisted bicycle nor 26 shall such person be carried in a pack fastened to the operator. A first 27 violation of the provisions of this subdivision shall result in no fine. 28 A second violation shall result in a civil fine not to exceed fifty 29 dollars. 30 2. No person operating a bicycle or electric assisted bicycle shall 31 allow a person one or more years of age and less than five years of age 32 to ride as a passenger on a bicycle or electric assisted bicycle unless: 33 (a) such passenger is wearing a helmet meeting standards established 34 by the commissioner. For the purposes of this subdivision wearing a 35 helmet means having a helmet of good fit fastened securely upon the head 36 with the helmet straps; and 37 (b) such passenger is placed in a separate seat attached to the bicy- 38 cle or electric assisted bicycle and such seat shall have adequate 39 provision for retaining the passenger in place and for protecting the 40 passenger from the moving parts of the bicycle or electric assisted 41 bicycle. 42 2-a. The commissioner shall promulgate rules and regulations estab- 43 lishing standards for helmets required to be worn while bicycling, 44 in-line skating, or operating a skate board. Such standards, to the 45 extent practicable, shall reflect the standards recommended by the Snell 46 Memorial Foundation, Safety Equipment Institute, or United States 47 Consumer Product Safety Commission. 48 3. Any person who violates the provisions of subdivision two of this 49 section shall pay a civil fine not to exceed fifty dollars. 50 4. The court shall waive any fine for which a person who violates the 51 provisions of paragraph (a) of subdivision two of this section would be 52 liable if such person supplies the court with proof that between the 53 date of violation and the appearance date for such violation such person 54 purchased or rented a helmet, which meets the requirements of paragraph 55 (a) of subdivision two of this section. Further, the court shall waive 56 any fine for which a person who violates the provisions of paragraph (b)S. 1591 6 1 of subdivision two of this section would be liable if such person 2 supplies the court with proof that between the date of violation and the 3 appearance date for such violation such person purchased or rented a 4 seat which meets the requirements of paragraph (b) of subdivision two of 5 this section. The court may waive any fine for which a person who 6 violates the provisions of subdivision two of this section would be 7 liable if the court finds that due to reasons of economic hardship such 8 person was unable to purchase a helmet or seat. Such waiver of fine 9 shall not apply to a second or subsequent conviction under paragraph (a) 10 or (b) of subdivision two of this section. 11 5. (a) No person operating a bicycle or electric assisted bicycle 12 shall allow a person five or more years of age and less than fourteen 13 years of age to ride as a passenger on a bicycle or electric assisted 14 bicycle unless such passenger is wearing a helmet meeting standards 15 established by the commissioner. 16 (b) No person, one or more years of age and less than fourteen years 17 of age, shall operate a bicycle or electric assisted bicycle unless such 18 person is wearing a helmet meeting standards established by the commis- 19 sioner. 20 (c) For the purposes of this subdivision wearing a helmet means having 21 a helmet of good fit fastened securely upon the head with the helmet 22 straps. 23 5-a. No person, one or more years of age and less than fourteen years 24 of age, shall skate or glide on in-line skates or a skate board unless 25 such person is wearing a helmet meeting standards established by the 26 commissioner. For the purposes of this subdivision, wearing a helmet 27 means having a helmet of good fit fastened securely on the head of such 28 wearer with the helmet straps securely fastened. 29 5-b. No person less than fourteen years of age shall ride upon, propel 30 or otherwise operate a two-wheeled vehicle commonly called a scooter 31 unless such person is wearing a helmet meeting standards established by 32 the commissioner. As used in this subdivision, wearing a helmet means 33 having a properly fitting helmet fixed securely on the head of such 34 wearer with the helmet straps securely fastened. 35 6. (a) Any person who violates the provisions of subdivision five, 36 five-a or five-b of this section shall pay a civil fine not to exceed 37 fifty dollars. 38 (b) The court shall waive any fine for which a person who violates the 39 provisions of subdivision five of this section would be liable if such 40 person supplies the court with proof that between the date of violation 41 and the appearance date for such violation such person purchased or 42 rented a helmet. 43 (c) The court may waive any fine for which a person who violates the 44 provisions of subdivision five, five-a, or five-b of this section would 45 be liable if the court finds that due to reasons of economic hardship 46 such person was unable to purchase a helmet or due to such economic 47 hardship such person was unable to obtain a helmet from the statewide 48 in-line skate and bicycle helmet distribution program, as established in 49 section two hundred six of the public health law, or a local distrib- 50 ution program. 51 7. The failure of any person to comply with the provisions of this 52 section shall not constitute contributory negligence or assumption of 53 risk, and shall not in any way bar, preclude or foreclose an action for 54 personal injury or wrongful death by or on behalf of such person, nor in 55 any way diminish or reduce the damages recoverable in any such action.S. 1591 7 1 8. A police officer shall only issue a summons for a violation of 2 subdivision two, five, or five-a of this section by a person less than 3 fourteen years of age to the parent or guardian of such person if the 4 violation by such person occurs in the presence of such person's parent 5 or guardian and where such parent or guardian is eighteen years of age 6 or more. Such summons shall only be issued to such parent or guardian, 7 and shall not be issued to the person less than fourteen years of age. 8 9. Subdivisions five, five-a, five-b, and six of this section shall 9 not be applicable to any county, city, town or village that has enacted 10 a local law or ordinance prior to the effective date of this subdivision 11 that prohibits a person who is one or more years of age and less than 12 fourteen years of age from operating a bicycle, electric assisted bicy- 13 cle or skating or gliding on in-line skates or a skate board without 14 wearing a bicycle helmet meeting the standards of the American National 15 Standards Institute (Ansi Z 90.4 bicycle helmet standards), the Snell 16 Memorial Foundation's Standards for Protective Headgear for use in Bicy- 17 cling, or the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) bike 18 helmet standards, or that prohibits a person operating a bicycle or 19 electric assisted bicycle from allowing a person five or more years of 20 age and less than fourteen years of age to ride as a passenger on a 21 bicycle or electric assisted bicycle unless such passenger is wearing a 22 bicycle helmet that meets such standards. The failure of any person to 23 comply with any such local law or ordinance shall not constitute contri- 24 butory negligence or assumption of risk, and shall not in any way bar, 25 preclude or foreclose an action for personal injury or wrongful death by 26 or on behalf of such person, nor in any way diminish or reduce the 27 damages recoverable in any such action. The legislative body of a coun- 28 ty, city, town or village may enact a local law or ordinance that 29 prohibits a person who is fourteen or more years of age from skating or 30 gliding on in-line skates, operating a skate board, or operating or 31 riding as a passenger on a bicycle or electric assisted bicycle without 32 wearing a bicycle helmet. 33 10. No person shall skate or glide on in-line skates or a skate board 34 outside during the period of time between one-half hour after sunset and 35 one-half hour before sunrise unless such person is wearing readily visi- 36 ble reflective clothing or material which is of a light or bright color. 37 § 14. Section 1240 of the vehicle and traffic law, as added by chapter 38 468 of the laws of 2001, is amended to read as follows: 39 § 1240. Leaving the scene of an incident involving a wheeled non-mo- 40 torized means of conveyance or an electric assisted bicycle without 41 reporting in the second degree. 1. Any person age eighteen years or 42 older operating a wheeled non-motorized means of conveyance, including, 43 but not limited to bicycles, in-line skates, roller skates and skate 44 boards or an electric assisted bicycle as defined in section one hundred 45 two-c of this chapter, who, knowing or having cause to know, that phys- 46 ical injury, as defined in subdivision nine of section 10.00 of the 47 penal law, has been caused to another person, due to the operation of 48 such non-motorized means of conveyance, or electric assisted bicycle by 49 such person, shall, before leaving the place where the said physical 50 injury occurred, stop, and provide his name and residence, including 51 street and street number, to the injured party, if practical, and also 52 to a police officer, or in the event that no police officer is in the 53 vicinity of the place of said injury, then such person shall report said 54 incident as soon as physically able to the nearest police station or 55 judicial officer.S. 1591 8 1 2. Leaving the scene of an incident involving a wheeled non-motorized 2 means of conveyance, or an electric assisted bicycle without reporting 3 in the second degree is a violation. 4 § 15. Section 1241 of the vehicle and traffic law, as added by chapter 5 468 of the laws of 2001, is amended to read as follows: 6 § 1241. Leaving the scene of an incident involving a wheeled non-mo- 7 torized means of conveyance, or an electric assisted bicycle, without 8 reporting in the first degree. 1. Any person age eighteen years or 9 older operating a wheeled non-motorized means of conveyance, including, 10 but not limited to bicycles, in-line skates, roller skates and skate 11 boards or an electric assisted bicycle as defined in section one hundred 12 two-c of this chapter, who, knowing or having cause to know, that seri- 13 ous physical injury, as defined in subdivision ten of section 10.00 of 14 the penal law, has been caused to another person, due to the operation 15 of such non-motorized means of conveyance, or electric assisted bicycle 16 by such person, shall, before leaving the place where the said serious 17 physical injury occurred, stop, and provide his name and residence, 18 including street and street number, to the injured party, if practical, 19 and also to a police officer, or in the event that no police officer is 20 in the vicinity of the place of said injury, then such person shall 21 report said incident as soon as physically able to the nearest police 22 station or judicial officer. 23 2. Leaving the scene of an incident involving a wheeled non-motorized 24 means of conveyance, or an electric assisted bicycle without reporting 25 in the first degree is a class B misdemeanor. 26 § 16. The vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new section 27 1242 to read as follows: 28 § 1242. Tampering with an electric assisted bicycle. 1. No person 29 shall tamper with or modify an electric assisted bicycle to: 30 (a) increase the output of such bicycle to seven hundred fifty watts 31 or greater; 32 (b) engage the electric motor when: 33 (i) the operator of such bicycle is not pedaling; 34 (ii) the operator of such bicycle has applied the brakes; or 35 (iii) such bicycle has achieved a speed of twenty miles per hour or 36 greater; or 37 (c) accelerate the speed of the electric assisted bicycle motor by 38 means other than pedaling. 39 2. A violation of the provisions of subdivision one of this section 40 shall constitute a traffic infraction punishable by a fine of up to one 41 hundred fifty dollars or a sentence of imprisonment for up to fifteen 42 days or both such fine and imprisonment. 43 § 17. Section 316 of the highway law, as amended by chapter 655 of the 44 laws of 1978, is amended to read as follows: 45 § 316. Entitled to free use of highways. The authorities having charge 46 or control of any highway, public street, park, parkway, driveway, or 47 place, shall have no power or authority to pass, enforce or maintain any 48 ordinance, rule or regulation by which any person using a bicycle, elec- 49 tric assisted bicycle or tricycle shall be excluded or prohibited from 50 the free use of any highway, public street, avenue, roadway, driveway, 51 parkway, park, or place, at any time when the same is open to the free 52 use of persons having and using other pleasure carriages, except upon 53 such driveway, speedway or road as has been or may be expressly set 54 apart by law for the exclusive use of horses and light carriages. But 55 nothing herein shall prevent the passage, enforcement or maintenance of 56 any regulation, ordinance or rule, regulating the use of bicycles, elec-S. 1591 9 1 tric assisted bicycles or tricycles in highways, public streets, drive- 2 ways, parks, parkways, and places, or the regulation of the speed of 3 carriages, vehicles or engines, in public parks and upon parkways and 4 driveways in the city of New York, under the exclusive jurisdiction and 5 control of the department of parks and recreation of said city, nor 6 prevent any such authorities in any other city from regulating the speed 7 of any vehicles herein described in such manner as to limit and deter- 8 mine the proper rate of speed with which such vehicle may be propelled 9 nor in such manner as to require, direct or prohibit the use of bells, 10 lamps and other appurtenances nor to prohibit the use of any vehicle 11 upon that part of the highway, street, park, or parkway, commonly known 12 as the footpath or sidewalk. 13 § 18. Section 180 of the general municipal law, as amended by chapter 14 668 of the laws of 2004, is amended to read as follows: 15 § 180. Ordinances to regulate use of bicycles and electric assisted 16 bicycles. The governing boards of municipal corporations as defined in 17 section two of this chapter, may adopt local laws to regulate the use of 18 bicycles and electric assisted bicycles on the public highways, streets, 19 avenues, walks, parks and public places within their limits. Such local 20 laws shall be supplemental and in addition to the provisions of the 21 vehicle and traffic law relating to vehicles and not in conflict there- 22 with. Provided further that such local laws shall not impose any charge, 23 tax or otherwise not provide for the free use of bicycles, electric 24 assisted bicycles and tricycles. 25 § 19. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day 26 after it shall have become a law.