Requires legislative approval of any increased fees, rental or charges for the use of the thruway; provides that any shortfalls in revenue resulting from a denied proposal shall be made whole by the general fund.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
 
BILL NUMBER: A5952
SPONSOR: Thiele
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public authorities law, in relation to requiring
legislative approval of increases in fees, rentals and charges for the
use of the thruway system
 
PURPOSE:
This bill would increase the penalties for assault and abduction that
take place on school grounds, including nursery schools, and college
campuses.
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Names this legislation "Suzanne's Law."
Section 2: Adds a new Section 70.12 to Penal Law to provide that the
sentence upon conviction of certain crimes committed against a person on
school grounds be deemed one category higher than the crime the person
committed.
Section 3: Adds a new Section 318 to Highway Law authorizing the place-
ment of Assault and Abduction Free school zone signs.
Section 4: Effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
There has been an alarming rate of assault and abductions committed
against individuals on or around school grounds and college campuses.
Following the success of the Drug Free School Zone act, this bill would
serve to send a message to would-be attackers that penalties for commit-
ting such a crime on school grounds would result in stricter penalties
and longer prison sentences. The posting of signs along and around the
school zone would also serve as a reminder to students and staff to
observe the practices of personal safety.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2021-22: A.5939
2019-20: A.7389
2017-18: A.6582
2015-16: A.2334
2013-14: A.6206
2011-12: A.1578
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the first of September next succeeding the
date on which is shall have become law.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
5952
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
March 24, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. THIELE -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions
AN ACT to amend the public authorities law, in relation to requiring
legislative approval of increases in fees, rentals and charges for the
use of the thruway system
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subdivision 8 of section 354 of the public authorities law,
2 as amended by section 2 of part TT of chapter 54 of the laws of 2016, is
3 amended and a new subdivision 8-a is added to read as follows:
4 8. Subject to agreements with noteholders or bondholders and legisla-
5 tive approval pursuant to subdivision eight-a of this section, to fix
6 and collect such fees, rentals and charges for the use of the thruway or
7 any part thereof necessary or convenient, with an adequate margin of
8 safety, to produce sufficient revenue to meet the expense of maintenance
9 and operation and to fulfill the terms of any agreements made with the
10 holders of its notes or bonds, and to establish the rights and privi-
11 leges granted upon payment thereof; provided, however, that tolls may
12 only be imposed for the passage through locks and lift bridges by
13 vessels which are propelled in whole or in part by mechanical power; and
14 provided further that no tolls shall be imposed or collected prior to
15 the first day of April, nineteen hundred ninety-three.
16 8-a. The authority shall submit a written report to the legislature at
17 least one hundred eighty days prior to the date when any proposed
18 increase in fees, rentals and charges for the use of the thruway system
19 is scheduled to take effect. Such report shall include justification for
20 the proposed increase, and information setting forth the current finan-
21 cial condition of the authority. The legislature may require any addi-
22 tional data or information that it deems necessary in such report. If
23 the legislature, or the appropriate committees thereof, upon review of
24 the report submitted to it by the authority, finds that the proposed
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00234-01-3
A. 5952 2
1 increases are not convenient or necessary to produce sufficient revenue
2 to meet the expense of maintenance and operation of infrastructure
3 existing prior to any proposed increase then no proposed increase shall
4 take effect until approved by a majority vote of each house of the
5 legislature. Provided, however, that legislative approval shall not be
6 required to fix and collect such fees, rentals and charges for the use
7 of the thruway system or any part thereof, to produce sufficient revenue
8 to fulfill the terms of any agreements, formed prior to the effective
9 date of this subdivision, with the holders of its notes or bonds.
10 § 2. Severability. If any clause, sentence, paragraph, section or part
11 of this act shall be adjudged by any court of competent jurisdiction to
12 be invalid, such judgment shall not affect, impair or invalidate the
13 remainder thereof, but shall be confined in its operation to the clause,
14 sentence, paragraph, section or part thereof directly involved in the
15 controversy in which such judgment shall have been rendered.
16 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.