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A590Assembly2025-2026 SessionSame asS1542

Require Teen E-Bike Helmets

Official title

“Requires persons the ages of 16 or 17 to wear a helmet when riding a class one or class two bicycle with electric assist”

Sponsor Amy PaulinAD-88+1 co-sponsorAffects Transportation
Status
In Senate Committee
Transportation
Impact
5/10
Moderate
Passage
33%

Bill progress

Step 5 of 7

In Senate · Transportation

What's happening

This bill requires 16- and 17-year-olds to wear helmets when operating class one or two electric bicycles.

Why it matters

  1. Expands helmet regulations to older teens. The bill addresses a gap in current safety laws by extending helmet requirements to 16- and 17-year-olds using class one or two electric bicycles, a group previously not covered, potentially reducing serious head injuries in this age bracket.

  2. Establishes clear enforcement and penalty guidelines. Individuals in violation are subject to a civil fine up to $50, but the law allows for the fine to be waived if the violator purchases or rents a helmet before their court appearance, encouraging compliance rather than simply penalizing.

  3. Provides economic hardship accommodations. The bill includes provisions for courts to waive fines if individuals can demonstrate financial hardship or inability to access free helmet programs, aiming to ensure that helmet safety is accessible and not punitive for lower-income families.

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Who cares

Headline styles

Require Teen E-Bike Helmets

Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.

Sponsors

Primary sponsor
Amy Paulin

Assembly Member · Assembly District 88

Chair, Health

History

  1. Referred to transportation
  2. Delivered to senate
  3. Passed assembly
  4. Ordered to third reading cal.17
  5. Returned to assembly
  6. Died in senate
  7. Referred to transportation
  8. Delivered to senate
  9. Passed assembly
  10. Ordered to third reading rules cal.283
  11. Rules report cal.283
  12. Reported
Show 3 earlier actions
  1. Reported referred to rules
  2. Reported referred to codes
  3. Referred to transportation

Companion bill

The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.

S1542Senate

Helmets for Teen E-Bikers

In Senate Committee · Rules · Sponsor Rachel May

Impact 5 · Moderate35% to pass

Full text

2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗

STATE OF NEW YORK

590

2025-2026 Regular Sessions

IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled)

January 8, 2025

Introduced by M. of A. PAULIN -- read once and referred to the Committee on Transportation

AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to requiring certain persons to wear a helmet when operating a class one or class two bicycle with electric assist

The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:

Section 1. Section 1238 of the vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new subdivision 5-d to read as follows:

5-d. No person sixteen or seventeen years of age shall ride upon, propel or otherwise operate a class one bicycle with electric assist or a class two bicycle with electric assist unless such person is wearing a helmet meeting standards established by the commissioner. For the purposes of this subdivision, wearing a helmet means having a properly fitting helmet fixed securely on the head of such wearer with the helmet straps securely fastened.

§ 2. Subdivision 6 of section 1238 of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by section 6 of part XX of chapter 58 of the laws of 2020, is amended to read as follows:

6. (a) Any person who violates the provisions of subdivision five, five-a, five-b [or], five-c, or five-d of this section shall pay a civil fine not to exceed fifty dollars.

(b) The court shall waive any fine for which a person who violates the provisions of subdivision five [or subdivision], five-c, or five-d of this section would be liable if such person supplies the court with proof that between the date of violation and the appearance date for such violation such person purchased or rented a helmet.

(c) The court may waive any fine for which a person who violates the provisions of subdivision five, five-a, five-b, [or] five-c, or five-d of this section would be liable if the court finds that due to reasons

EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

[ ] is old law to be omitted.

LBD02756-01-5

of economic hardship such person was unable to purchase a helmet or due to such economic hardship such person was unable to obtain a helmet from the statewide in-line skate and bicycle helmet distribution program, as established in section two hundred six of the public health law, or a local distribution program. Such waiver of a fine shall not apply to a second or subsequent violation of subdivision five-c of this section.

§ 3. This act shall take effect on the first of April next succeeding the date upon which it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.

Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.

Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.