A man making deliveries rides an electronic bike in New York. AP file photo

There are more e-bikes and scooters than ever on the streets of Jamestown these days.

Legislation introduced recently in the state Senate could increase those numbers even further.

Sen. Rachel May, D-Syracuse, has proposed S.7533 to amend the state Tax Law to provide a tax incentive to anyone who purchases a bicycle with electric assist or an electric scooter. The legislation advances the state’s clean energy goals, May said, by giving credits of up to $4,000. Companion legislation hasn’t been introduced yet in the state Assembly.

“E-bikes offer a greener, cheaper and healthier mode of transportation compared to a traditional vehicle,” May wrote in her legislative justification. “Each individual riding an e-bike can prevent around 500 pounds of carbon emissions entering the atmosphere each year. In addition to the health benefits from cleaner air, riding an e-bike can improve cardiovascular health, stimulate brain function, and help maintain healthy body weight. E-bikes are often more desirable to commuters than traditional bikes because riders don’t need to exert as much effort, can travel farther and can carry heavier goods. E-bikes also provide greater access to cycling for the elderly and people with disabilities.”

E-bikes and scooters weren’t included in state law until 2020, when they were written into state law as part of the state budget.

State law allows the use of electric scooters and electric bicycles on some streets and highways in New York. Neither have to be registered with the state Motor Vehicles Department. According to state law, they can only be used on roads with a posted speed limit of 30 miles an hour or less and cannot be ridden on a sidewalk except as authorized by local law or ordinance. Municipalities can regulate the time, place and ways e-bikes and e-scooters are used.

The legislation also comes at a time when state lawmakers are trying to reduce the number of gasoline-powered vehicles on the roads. The state only electric vehicles available for sale by 2035, and May wrote she sees the e-bike and scooter bill as a way to provide another option for consumers.

“Incentivizing New Yorkers to switch to these devices will simultaneously decrease carbon emissions and increase cardiovascular health while allowing riders to maintain their freedom of movement,” May wrote. “Assisting residents in selecting transportation alternatives in our gas-fueled, car-centered society is paramount in the fight against climate change.”