BILL NUMBER: S96
SPONSOR: COMRIE
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public authorities law, in relation to requiring the
metropolitan transportation authority to create an annual report on all
minor and major contract cost overruns
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
Requires the MTA to produce an annual report on all minor, median and
major contract cost overruns.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section one of this bill amends the public authorities law by adding a
new section 1269-h to provide that the Metropolitan Transportation
Authority shall create an annual report on all minor, median and major
contract cost overruns.
The report shall include, but not be limited to, all such contracts, all
contracting firms involved in such contracts, winning bid amounts, actu-
al cost incurred, description of the project, completion delays and a
detailed analysis of why the contract bid amount was exceeded.
The report will be in a form prescribed by the authority and accessible
in electronic format.
The report will be delivered to the governor, the temporary president of
the senate and the speaker of the assembly on or before February
fifteenth of each calendar year and will include all required informa-
tion and all relevant contracts as required from the preceding calendar
year with the first report submitted on February fifteenth after this
sections effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
The MTA is the nation's largest public transportation network, serving
over 15 million people.
The MTA continues to experience ballooning project costs and cost over-
runs of contracts. For example, the cost of the East Side access project
to link the Long Island Railroad to Grand Central Terminal has grown
from an estimated $2.2 billion to a current $11 billion, and may contin-
ue to grow. By requiring the MTA to annually report on contract cost
overruns to the Legislature and the Governor, this bill will ensure
accountability and transparency in MTA's contracting procedures.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-2024: S1301 Comrie/ A5585 Glick
2022: S3677
2017-18: A.11108 Referred to Corporations, Authorities and Commissions
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.