Relates to operators of a vehicle overtaking a bicycle or pedestrian

Latest action May 12, 2026

Relates to operators of a vehicle overtaking a bicycle or pedestrian outside the city of New York.

Not chosen yet

Where it stands

Passed one of the two chambers; it still needs the other.

Introduced
In committee
Up for a vote
Passed one chamber
Passed
Enacted

New York State Senate

Same as A1831, the matching bill in the Assembly.

Amends the Vehicle and Traffic Law.

Committee

Transportation · New York State Assembly

Also referred to Transportation · New York State Senate.

Purpose, from the sponsor's memo

Requires vehicles overtaking a bicycle from behind to allow a safe distance of 3 feet when passing.

Filed with the bill. Read it on nysenate.gov (opens in a new tab)

Recorded votes

Vote: Floor vote
NY SenateMay 12, 2026Result: passed
(56) (4) (0) (3)
Vote: Committee vote · Transportation
Senate TransportationMay 5, 2026Result: passed
(12) (1) (0) (0)
Vote: Floor vote
NY SenateMay 13, 2025Result: passed
(52) (5) (0) (5)
Vote: Committee vote · Transportation
Senate TransportationApr 29, 2025Result: passed
(11) (2) (0) (0)

The sponsor's argument

Why Pete Harckham says this is needed

The majority of the accidents consisting of vehicles and cyclists involved driver inattention and failure to yield. With the Department of Transportation actively installing bike lanes on state roadways through- out the state, this legislation is timely and necessary to support the increased bicycle traffic. A specific distance- three feet- was chosen in order to provide an easi- ly understood distance for motorists. Specifying three feet as the mini- mum passing distance provides adequate space for bicyclists to safely travel on the road. New York City's population dense environment creates a number of unique challenges to implementation. This legislation will help keep our cyclists safe by requiring that vehicle operators keep a safe distance of 3 feet to provide a buffer for quick decision-making outside of New York City. This small change ensures that both cyclists and vehicles share the roads safely for all portions of the state where implementation is currently plausible.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.

Full history

May 12, 2026
Sent to the executive
DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY
NY Senate
May 12, 2026
Passed a chamber
PASSED SENATE
NY Senate
May 12, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION
NY Assembly
May 7, 2026
Advanced to Third Reading
ADVANCED TO THIRD READING
NY Senate
May 6, 2026
2ND Report CAL.
2ND REPORT CAL.
NY Senate

Show full history (12 earlier events)

May 5, 2026
1ST Report CAL.935
1ST REPORT CAL.935
NY Senate
Jan 7, 2026
Died in Assembly
DIED IN ASSEMBLY
NY Assembly
Jan 7, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION
NY Assembly
Jan 7, 2026
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION
NY Senate
May 13, 2025
Sent to the executive
DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY
NY Senate
May 13, 2025
Passed a chamber
PASSED SENATE
NY Senate
May 13, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION
NY Assembly
May 1, 2025
Advanced to Third Reading
ADVANCED TO THIRD READING
NY Senate
Apr 30, 2025
2ND Report CAL.
2ND REPORT CAL.
NY Senate
Apr 29, 2025
1ST Report CAL.781
1ST REPORT CAL.781
NY Senate
Jan 14, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION
NY Assembly
Jan 13, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION
NY Senate

About this record

Summary: The summary comes from NY Open Legislation, the New York State Senate's public record. For more, see How we handle summaries.
Cosponsors: The list shows the cosponsors who are on Agora, A to Z. The official record may list more.
Party colors: Parties are shown in the same neutral colors.
Source: From NY Open Legislation, the NY Senate and Assembly, and official rosters. This record was last updated Oct 31, 2026. About our data

Read the record

Read on NY Senate (opens in a new tab) The official record on nysenate.gov.

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