BILL NUMBER: S347

SPONSOR: KAPLAN
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the public authorities law, in relation to reporting on
the metropolitan transportation authority's state of good repair

 
PURPOSE:

To provide the public with information on the ETA's overall state of
good repair prior to the MTA's submission of an amendment to a five-year
capital plan.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 of the bill would add a new paragraph

(c) to subdivision 7 of section 1269-b of the public authorities law
which relates to the metropolitan transportation authority capital
program plans, approvals, and effect of disapprovals. The new paragraph
              

would require the MTA, prior to submitting and amendment to the capital
plan, to make available on their website a report outlining the repairs
and investments needed to restore the authority's existing transit
systems to a state of good repair and ensure the existing transit
systems continue to deliver transportation services safely and reliably
for the metropolitan commuter transportation district. The report shall
include the dollar amounts needed, as well as the dollar amounts commit-
ted to restore the critical elements within the transit systems includ-
ing subway cars, buses, passenger stations, tracks, line equipment, line
structures, signals and communications, traction power, shops and yards,
depots, service vehicles, handicap accessibility, and any other elements
that are critical to the transit operations of the authority.

Section 2 of the bill sets forth the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

The MTA implements five-year plans intended to bring their transporta-
tion and transit systems to a state of good repair and enhance or expand
other operations. However, the MTA consistently spends less than what is
required to keep their existing systems in a state of good repair while
simultaneously moving forward and committing funds to newer projects.
This spending habit compromises the reliability and safety within the
current systems. This legislation intends to address this demonstration
of fiscal irresponsibility within the authority by increasing transpar-
ency and shedding light on the fact that more funds should be committed
to the authority's existing systems before dedicating funds to newer
projects.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE:

None.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

S. 2964 of 2019/20; Referred to Senate Transportation Committee

S. 8265 of 2018; Referred to Transportation
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.