NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A1457
SPONSOR: Thiele (MS) TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the public authorities law, in
relation to authorizing a no fare program for transportation on the Long
Island Rail Road for police officers employed by the towns of Suffolk
PURPOSE:
To include police officers employed by the towns in Suffolk County in
the provisions governing the Long Island Rail Road's Free Police Ride
Program.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Subdivision 14 of section 1266 of the public authorities law is amended
to include police officers employed by the towns in Suffolk County in
the Long Island Rail Road's Free Police Ride Program.
JUSTIFICATION:
For the increased protection and improved safety of commuters and
employees, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) currently
administers a program that provides free transportation on the Long
Island Rail Road (LIRR) for certain police officers. Police officers
employed by the City of New York, the County of Nassau, Nassau County
villages and cities, County of Suffolk, Suffolk County towns and
villages, the Division of State police, the Port Authority of New York
and New Jersey, the Metro-North Commuter Railroad Company, the New York
City Housing Authority and the New York City Transit Authority have been
actively participating in this no fare program over the past several
years.
A recent audit conducted by the MTA, however, revealed an apparent over-
sight in the provisions of law governing the LIRR's Free Police Ride
Program, §1266(14) of the Public Authorities Law. Those police officers
employed by the towns within Suffolk County are not included in statute.
As a result, the MTA can no longer allow these police officers to
participate in the LIRR Free police Ride Program as of January 1, 2011.
While the reason for this omission is unclear, the LIRR has indicated
its support for amending the statute to add police officers employed by
the towns in Suffolk County. This legislation merely corrects this over-
sight to grant the MTA the legal authority to extend this program to
these officers.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2011-12: A.1405/S.1452 Passed Assembly
2010: A.9830/S.6764 Passed Assembly
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.
