BILL NUMBER: S2972A
SPONSOR: MAYER
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public authorities law, in relation to requiring the
Metro-North Commuter Railroad Company and the New York city transit
authority establish a no fare program for the transportation of certain
active duty, uniform police officers
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This bill would create no fare programs for transportation on the Long
Island Rail Road and the Metro-North Commuter Railroad for police offi-
cers, establish and implement a similar program for transportation on
New York City Transit Authority systems, and establish safeguards for
eligibility for these programs.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1. Adds the Metro-North Commuter Railroad ("MNR") and the rele-
vant local police commands to the existing statute, Public Authorities
Law § 1266(14), requiring the MTA to establish a no-fare program for
transportation on the Long Island Rail Road ("LIRR") for certain police
officers, thereby codifying the existing MNR program. Additionally, a
subsequent new subdivision to that section is added requiring the MTA,
in consultation with the New York City Transit Authority ("NYCTA"), to
establish a similar no-fare program for eligible officers in both the
LIRR and MNR programs on NYCTA systems.
Section 2. The act shall take effect thirty days after it has become
law.  
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ORIGINAL AND AMENDED VERSION (IF APPLICABLE):
N/A
 
JUSTIFICATION:
While MTA ridership has remained far below pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels,
the number of assaults on the subway have significantly increased. Cover
all, the rate of felonies per million riders remains above pre- pandemic
levels. It is imperative that riders can travel safely through-out the
MTA system, particularly at a time when more people are returning to
in-person work, school, and other activities. People will increasingly
turn to private cars, taxis, and ride-sharing services to avoid mass
transit if they do not feel it is safe. Providing active-duty police
officers with free rides on the LIRR, Metro-North, and New York City
Transit will encourage these officers to use mass transit to get to and
from work, providing increased police presence on trains. The presence
of officers will deter crime and provide riders with an increased sense
of safety. In addition, restructuring existing programs that provide
free passes to police officers could potentially result in up $130
million in annual savings to the MTA.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
S6907/A7098A (2021-22): Referred to Transportation
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act would take effect thirty days after it has become law.

Statutes affected:
S2972: 1266 public authorities law, 1266(14) public authorities law
S2972A: 1266 public authorities law, 1266(14) public authorities law