Cuomo Vetoes Bill To Legalize E-Bikes And E-Scooters In New York

NEW YORK CITY — Gov. Andrew Cuomo vetoed a bill to legalize electric bikes and scooters he called "fatally flawed," his office confirmed Thursday.

Cuomo objected to safety measures left out the bill lifting restrictions on e-bikes and e-scooter passed by state Legislature houses passed in June, he said in a statement.

"The Legislature's proposal inexplicably omitted several safety measures included in the budget proposal," Cuomo said.

Those safety measures include lower speed limits, a helmet requirement, mandatory lights and bells, and a demand that New Yorkers not drink and e-bike ride.

"Failure to include these basic measures renders this legislation fatally flawed."

New York City has banned electric rides — riders can face $500 fines and e-scooter seizures — since 2017 and is currently undergoing a crackdown, officials announced earlier this year.

The NYPD has seized more than 930 e-bikes in 2019, Mayor Bill de Blasio said in October.

In 2020, businesses that use e-bikes or pay workers to use them could face $200 fines, the Mayor said.

State Senator Jessica Ramos and Assembly Member Nily Rozic, both Queens Democrats, sponsored the bill in their respective houses.

The lawmakers argued electric vehicle legislation would improve quality of life for delivery men and women who rely on the bikes to make a living.

In a statement, Rozic called the veto a "missed opportunity" to "deliver economic justice for thousands of delivery workers across New York City."