NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A8336
SPONSOR: Simone TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public authorities law and chapter 154 of the laws
of 1921, relating to the port authority of New York and New Jersey, in
relation to contracts to provide food services at authority owned and
operated transportation facilities and rest areas
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To ensure that New York State's transportation facilities offer a reli-
able source of food services.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends the public authorities law by adding a new section 390
that requires any contracts entered into by the New York State Thruway
Authority for the operation of food services at public transportation
facilities shall require that services be provided every day of the
week.
Section 2 amends section 1 of chapter 154 of the laws of 1921 and adds a
new subparagraph 7 establishing a policy that contracts for the opera-
tion of food services at Port Authority owned transportation facilities
shall be required that services be provided every day of the week.
Section 3 establishes the effective date of the bill.
JUSTIFICATION:
The New York State Thruway Authority's Service Area Redesign and Rede-
velopment Project is currently rebuilding the 27 service areas along the
Thruway through a public-private partnership. The travelling public and
commercial trucking industry rely on these service areas to rest, refuel
and to purchase food and beverages. In 2021, the Thruway Authority
engaged Applegreen, an Irish convenience store chain, to take over the
leases of all service areas.
Applegreen's portfolio of companies include Chick-fil-A, which by compa-
ny policy is closed on Sundays, and which has already opened at seven
service areas. While there is nothing objectionable about a fast food
restaurant closing on a particular day of the week, service areas dedi-
cated to travelers is an inappropriate location for such a restaurant.
Publicly owned service areas should use their space to maximally benefit
the public. Allowing for retail space to go unused one seventh of the
week or more is a disservice and unnecessary inconvenience to travelers
who rely on these service areas.
This legislation will ensure that all future contracts for food conces-
sions at transportation facilities owned by the Thruway Authority, as
well as the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, will be required
to operate seven days a week, with an exclusion to temporary concessions
such as farmers markets or local vendors.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New Bill
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it becomes law.
However, section 2 of this act shall only take effect upon the State of
New Jersey passing an act with an identical effect.
