Electric Scooters, Bikes Could Be Legalized Across New York

NEW YORK — New Yorkers who zip around the city on electric bicycles or scooters won't have to fear a ticket if a Queens state senator gets her way. Democratic Sen. Jessica Ramos introduced a bill Tuesday that would legalize e-bikes and scooters across the state while leaving room for local governments to regulate them.

The proposal comes as scooter- and bike-sharing companies push to bring their motorized two-wheelers to New York City amid Mayor Bill de Blasio's crackdown on illegal e-bikes.

Legalization would help low-income New Yorkers, as delivery workers rely on e-bikes and studies show many e-scooter users make less than $50,000, a memo accompanying Ramos's bill says.

"For many of my neighbors, who are immigrant delivery workers, using alternative modes of transportation is a matter of livelihood," Ramos said in a statement. "Especially since we have not yet restored everyone’s right to a drivers license, legalizing e-bikes and e-scooters is a matter of equal access to our streets and our city."

The city allows cyclists to use pedal-assist bikes, which give a motorized boost when the rider pedals. But de Blasio and other city officials have maintained that throttle-powered bikes popular with delivery workers are illegal under state law.

Ramos's legislation would explicitly legalize three classes of e-bikes: pedal-assist bikes with a top speed of 20 or 28 MPH and bikes that go as fast as 20 MPH without requiring pedaling. It would also allow motor-powered scooters with a top speed of 20 MPH on a flat surface.

The bill would not stop local authorities across the state from establishing rules and regulations governing e-scooters or the use of e-bikes.

Ramos's is not the first proposal to loosen regulations around small electric vehicles. The City Council is considering a bill that would legalize electric bikes and scooters locally. Gov. Andrew Cuomo proposed allowing local governments establish state traffic rules governing them, but that plan did not get into the state budget passed this month.

Mobility firms such as Lime, Bird and Bolt have also pushed for legalization as they eye expansion into what could be a lucrative New York City market.

Five e-scooter companies spent nearly $190,000 on lobbying in the first two months of this year alone, according to filings with the state's Joint Commission on Public Ethics. Bird led the pack by shelling out $77,856, including $50,000 to Tusk Strategies. The company is led by Bradley Tusk, a former Michael Bloomberg campaign manager who has been called a "fixer" for tech firms.

"We're hopeful New York will embrace innovation with this bill and unlock the many benefits micromobility offers," said Andrew Fox, the CEO of Charge, which provides docking and charging stations for e-bikes and e-scooters. The firm spent $20,000 on lobbying in January and February, records show.