My guess is that not enough bike messengers in New York manage to get to the polls. How else can you explain Bill A5430, brought to us by Michael DenDekker?
For anyone that doesn’t want to click the link, here’s the bill, in all its shameless glory:
S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
5430
2011-2012 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
February 18, 2011
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Introduced by M. of A. DenDEKKER — read once and referred to the
Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to the regis-
tration of commercial bicycles and requires casualty insurance for
such bicycles
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 401-c to read as follows:
3 S 401-C. REGISTRATION OF COMMERCIAL BICYCLES. EVERY COMMERCIAL BICYCLE
4 SHALL BE REGISTERED, AS PROVIDED IN THIS SECTION. COMMERCIAL BICYCLES
5 SHALL BE ISSUED A LICENSE PLATE IDENTIFYING IT AS A COMMERCIAL BICYCLE.
6 COMMERCIAL BICYCLES SHALL BE ISSUED A LICENSE PLATE UPON PASSING AN
7 INSPECTION BY THE DEPARTMENT. THE INSPECTION SHALL REQUIRE THAT THE
8 BICYCLE CONFORMS WITH THE LAMP AND EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS OF SECTION
9 TWELVE HUNDRED THIRTY-SIX OF THIS CHAPTER. THE FEE FOR SUCH LICENSE
10 PLATES SHALL BE FIFTY DOLLARS.
11 1. AN OPERATOR OF A COMMERCIAL BICYCLE MUST HAVE A FORM OF IDENTIFICA-
12 TION PROVIDING HIS OR HER NAME. REGISTRANTS SHALL BE ISSUED REGISTRATION
13 CARDS WHICH MUST BE CARRIED WHILE OPERATING A BICYCLE FOR COMMERCIAL
14 PURPOSES. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ISSUE A LIST OF TRAFFIC REGULATIONS
15 PERTAINING TO BICYCLE OPERATION FOR EACH BICYCLE REGISTERED.
16 2. REGISTRANTS SHALL OBTAIN PROPERTY AND CASUALTY INSURANCE TO COVER
17 ANYONE WHO OPERATES A COMMERCIAL BICYCLE.
18 S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.