Requires all vehicles that are capable of traveling over twenty-five miles per hour to be registered and licensed with the department of motor vehicles.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A5179
SPONSOR: Novakhov TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to requiring
the registration and licensing of vehicles that have the ability to
travel over twenty-five miles per hour
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 of the bill establishes the legislative intent of this bill by
outlining that unregistered and unlicensed vehicles pose an inherent
threat to public safety.
Section 2 amends the vehicle and traffic law by adding a new section
requiring the licensing and registration of vehicles capable of travel
over twenty-five miles per hour.
Section 3 provides the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
Over the last five years New York State, with emphasis on the City of
New York, has seen an increase in the use of motorized scooters, elec-
tric powered bicycles (e-bikes), limited use motorcycles, and other such
vehicles capable of traveling at speeds of twenty-five miles or more.
Many of these vehicles remain unlicensed and unregistered and pose a
major threat to pedestrians, cyclists, and their fellow motorists. The
legalization of electric powered bikes (e-bikes) in 2020 in New York
City coupled with the continued development of bike lanes across the
City and State of New York have resulted in a boom of traffic accidents
and a lack of enforcement of traffic safety laws due to a continued
difficulty of identifying violators who misuse bike lanes, ignore posted
signage, or damage property/ other vehicles. By requiring the licensing
and registration of any vehicle capable of traveling at speeds of more
than twenty-five miles per hour, we bring accountability to our streets,
and help to combat a growing safety crisis plaguing our State.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023 - 2024, A.7342, not considered
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
5179
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 12, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. NOVAKHOV -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to requiring
the registration and licensing of vehicles that have the ability to
travel over twenty-five miles per hour
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Legislative intent. The legislature finds that unregistered
2 and unlicensed vehicles can pose a threat to public safety and may be
3 used for criminal activity. It is necessary to regulate the operation of
4 vehicles on public roads and highways in order to ensure public safety
5 and maintain the integrity of the transportation system. Vehicles that
6 can travel over twenty-five miles per hour are capable of high-speed
7 operation and may require special handling and safety considerations.
8 § 2. The vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new section
9 1229-e to read as follows:
10 § 1229-e. Registration and licensing of vehicles that travel over
11 twenty-five miles per hour. All vehicles that are capable of traveling
12 over twenty-five miles per hour shall be registered pursuant to title
13 four or eleven of this chapter and issued a plate number by the depart-
14 ment. No person shall operate a vehicle unless such vehicle has been
15 registered with the department and has a number plate issued by the
16 commissioner with a number corresponding to that of the certificate of
17 registration.
18 2. Such number plates shall be of such material, form, design and
19 dimensions and contain or set forth such distinguishing number or other
20 identification marks as the commissioner shall prescribe, provided,
21 however, that there shall be at all times a marked contrast between the
22 color of the number plates and that of the numerals or letters thereon.
23 3. Each such number plate shall be conspicuously displayed and secure-
24 ly fastened on the vehicle.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08970-01-5
A. 5179 2
1 4. The fee for such registration and number plates shall be the same
2 as set forth in section four hundred one of this chapter.
3 5. Any individual who operates a vehicle that is not registered and
4 licensed as required by this section shall be subject to penalties and
5 fines set forth in subdivision eighteen of section four hundred one of
6 this chapter.
7 § 3. This act shall take effect one hundred days after it shall have
8 become a law and shall apply to all vehicles operating on public roads
9 and highways within the jurisdiction of the state of New York.
