A 2615: Requires the commissioner of motor vehicles to create a bicycle with electric assist battery swapping pilot program in a city with a population of one million or more.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 2615 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY January 21, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. CUNNINGHAM -- read once and referred to the Committee on Transportation AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to requiring the commissioner of motor vehicles to create a bicycle with electric assist battery swapping pilot program in a city with a population of one million or more 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 1244 to read as follows: 3 § 1244. Bicycle with electric assist battery swapping pilot program. 4 1. For purposes of this section, "battery swapping station" shall mean 5 a location where bicycle with electric assist batteries are stored, 6 charged, and available for bicycle with electric assist riders to 7 exchange. 8 2. (a) The commissioner, in consultation with the commissioner of the 9 department of transportation and the commissioner of the department of 10 transportation of the city of New York, shall establish a bicycle with 11 electric assist battery swapping pilot program in a city with a popu- 12 lation of one million or more no later than six months after the effec- 13 tive date of this section. 14 (b) Battery swapping stations shall be located at all department of 15 motor vehicles locations in a city with a population of one million or 16 more. At such battery swapping stations, bicycle with electric assist 17 riders shall be able to exchange their drained bicycle with electric 18 assist battery for a fully charged battery. 19 (c) In order to utilize such a battery swapping station, a bicycle 20 with electric assist rider shall be required to pay a one-time rental 21 fee to the department. After payment of such fee, a bicycle with elec- 22 tric assist rider shall be able to exchange bicycle with electric assist 23 batteries as often as needed. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD05746-01-5 
 A. 2615 2 1 3. The fire department of the city of New York shall provide guidance 2 on fire safety and prevention relating to bicycle with electric assist 3 batteries, and the commissioner shall follow such guidelines in creating 4 the bicycle with electric assist pilot program and in the establishment 5 and maintenance of battery swapping stations. 6 4. Such pilot program shall continue for a period of one year after 7 its establishment. No later than two years after the effective date of 8 this section, the commissioner shall report to the governor, the tempo- 9 rary president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly on the 10 results of such pilot program and any recommendations for legislative 11 action. 12 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.