S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9582
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              March 20, 2024
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. HYNDMAN -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions
 
 AN ACT to amend the public authorities law, in relation  to  creating  a
   New  York  city  transit  authority safety advisory panel to study and
   report on safety from terrorist acts and to provide for  a  moratorium
   on  the  closing of token booths and minimum staffing levels on trains
   operated in passenger service in the New York city transit system
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Short  title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
 the "transit authority passenger security and safety act".
   § 2. The public authorities law is amended by  adding  a  new  section
 1204-g to read as follows:
   § 1204-G. MINIMUM STAFFING OF TRAINS OPERATED IN PASSENGER SERVICE. 1.
 THE  LEGISLATURE  FINDS  THAT THE PRESENCE OF TRAIN CONDUCTORS AND TRAIN
 OPERATORS ON SUBWAY TRAINS OPERATED BY  THE  AUTHORITY  IS  PARTICULARLY
 ESSENTIAL  TO  THE SAFETY OF PASSENGERS WHEN EMERGENCIES ARISE INCLUDING
 WHEN TRAINS ARE IN TUNNELS UNDER BODIES OF WATER  OR  ON  BRIDGES,  WHEN
 TRAINS  ARE  LONG  OR  COMPOSED  OF NUMEROUS CARS, AND DURING PERIODS OF
 HEAVY PASSENGER VOLUME.
   2. THE AUTHORITY SHALL INSURE THAT AT LEAST ONE TRAIN OPERATOR AND ONE
 CONDUCTOR SHALL BE DEPLOYED ON EACH AND EVERY TRAIN IN PASSENGER SERVICE
 WHICH MEETS ONE OF THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS:
   A. THE TRAIN IS MADE UP OF MORE THAN FOUR RAILROAD CARS OR IS  GREATER
 THAN THREE HUNDRED SIXTY FEET IN LENGTH; OR
   B.  THE TRAIN SERVES PASSENGERS ON A LINE THAT PASSES THROUGH A TUNNEL
 UNDER A RIVER OR TIDAL ESTUARY OR ON BRIDGES; OR
   C. THE TRAIN IS OPERATING IN PASSENGER SERVICE ON  A  LINE  WHERE  THE
 POTENTIAL  PASSENGER LOAD ON THE TRAIN AT ANY POINT IN TIME IS IN EXCESS
 OF SEVEN HUNDRED FIFTY PASSENGERS.
   § 3. The public authorities law is amended by  adding  a  new  section
 1205-b to read as follows:
   §  1205-B.  NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT AUTHORITY SAFETY ADVISORY PANEL.  1.
 A. THERE IS HEREBY CREATED THE NEW YORK CITY  TRANSIT  AUTHORITY  SAFETY
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD04520-01-3
 A. 9582                             2
 
 ADVISORY  PANEL, TO STUDY, MONITOR AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS WITH RESPECT
 TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY FROM TERRORIST THREATS  AND  CRIMINAL  MISCHIEF  IN
 PASSENGER  STATIONS  OF  THE  AUTHORITY, ITS SUBSIDIARIES AND THE STATEN
 ISLAND RAPID TRANSIT OPERATING AUTHORITY.
   B.  THE  NEW  YORK  CITY TRANSIT AUTHORITY SAFETY ADVISORY PANEL SHALL
 CONSIST OF SEVEN MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR, OF WHOM TWO  MEMBERS
 SHALL BE APPOINTED UPON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF
 THE SENATE AND TWO MEMBERS SHALL BE APPOINTED UPON THE RECOMMENDATION OF
 THE  SPEAKER  OF  THE ASSEMBLY. THE MEMBERS OF THE NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT
 AUTHORITY SAFETY ADVISORY PANEL SHALL BE SELECTED FROM THE LAW  ENFORCE-
 MENT,  EMERGENCY RESPONSE MANAGEMENT, WORKER AND RIDER ADVOCATE COMMUNI-
 TIES AND SHALL INCLUDE AT LEAST THREE  MEMBERS  WHO  ARE  COMMUTERS  WHO
 REGULARLY USE THE TRANSPORTATION SERVICES OF THE AUTHORITIES REFERRED TO
 IN  PARAGRAPH  A  OF THIS SUBDIVISION. THE CHAIRPERSON SHALL BE A MEMBER
 SELECTED BY THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMITTEE. VACANCIES  OCCURRING  SHALL
 BE FILLED IN THE SAME MANNER AS THE ORIGINAL APPOINTMENTS.
   C.  THE MEMBERS OF THE NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT AUTHORITY SAFETY ADVISORY
 PANEL SHALL RECEIVE NO COMPENSATION FOR  THEIR  SERVICES  BUT  SHALL  BE
 REIMBURSED FOR ACTUAL AND NECESSARY EXPENSES INCURRED IN THE PERFORMANCE
 OF THEIR DUTIES.
   2.  A. THE NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT AUTHORITY SAFETY ADVISORY PANEL SHALL
 UNDERTAKE A STUDY TO EVALUATE  THE  RANGE  OF  STRATEGIES  AVAILABLE  TO
 ENSURE  THE  SAFETY OF THE PUBLIC, INCLUDING ITS INGRESS AND EGRESS FROM
 PASSENGER STATIONS, AND ALL MEANS OF  DETERRING  TERRORIST  ATTACKS  AND
 CRIMINAL MISCHIEF. SUCH STUDY SHALL BE SUBMITTED TO THE GOVERNOR AND THE
 LEGISLATURE, AND MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC, WITHIN THREE YEARS OF THE
 EFFECTIVE  DATE  OF THIS SECTION. SUCH REPORT SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO
 THE PUBLIC IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING ITS SUBMISSION TO THE GOVERNOR AND  THE
 LEGISLATURE.
   B. NO TOKEN BOOTHS WITHIN THE PASSENGER STATIONS OF THE AUTHORITY, ITS
 SUBSIDIARIES  OR  THE  STATEN  ISLAND  RAPID TRANSIT OPERATING AUTHORITY
 SHALL BE CLOSED OR PARTIALLY CLOSED, EXCEPT FOR PURPOSES  OF  REPAIR  OR
 RENOVATION  OR  IN CASE OF EMERGENCY, UNTIL THE LATER OF JULY FIRST, TWO
 THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE OR THE DATE  OF  THE  SUBMISSION  OF  THE  ADVISORY
 PANEL'S REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR AND THE LEGISLATURE.
   3.  THE  NEW  YORK  CITY  TRANSIT  AUTHORITY SAFETY ADVISORY PANEL MAY
 REQUEST AND SHALL RECEIVE FROM ANY DEPARTMENT, DIVISION, BOARD,  BUREAU,
 COMMISSION, AGENCY, PUBLIC AUTHORITY OF THE STATE OR ANY PUBLIC SUBDIVI-
 SION  THEREOF  SUCH  ASSISTANCE  AND  DATA AS WILL ENABLE IT TO PROPERLY
 CARRY OUT ITS ACTIVITIES AND TO EFFECTUATE THE  PURPOSES  SET  FORTH  IN
 THIS SECTION.
   § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.