Senator Golden Leads Legislative Efforts to Improve Transit System Safety

Albany – State Senator Martin J. Golden (R-C-I, Brooklyn), a member of the Metropolitan Transit Authority Capital Review Board and a former New York City Police Officer, today is announcing that two pieces of legislation he introduced, designed to improve safety of all riders of public transportation, have been approved by the New York State Senate.

The Senate acted today on S. 3203 that would make it a crime for a person to rub his or her sexual or intimate body parts on another person while aboard public transportation. The bill approved would classify such behavior as a Class A misdemeanor, and where forcible touching is coupled with an emission of certain bodily fluids, the offense would be a Class E Felony.

The bill was sent to the Assembly. Assemblymember Simotas (D-Queens) is the sponsor of the bill in the Assembly.

The State Senate also voted to support S. 5194, a bill that would require the New York City Police Department to submit an annual report to the City Council detailing the total number of criminal complaints and arrests that occur on subway lines and bus routes. The report would be categorized by type of crime for violent felony offenses, and include all routes operated by the New York City Transit Authority and the Staten Island rapid transit operating authority.

Assemblyman Jim Brennan (D-Brooklyn) is the sponsor of A. 4310-A which has been approved by the State Assembly.

Senator Marty Golden stated, “Every day, so many of us depend on our buses and trains to get to work, school and travel throughout our City. That is why it is critical to make sure our system is as safe as possible for all passengers. These two bills passed today undoubtedly strengthens our effort to reduce crime on our transit system. No resident, tourist, student or senior citizen should have to travel in fear and hesitate to board a train or a bus.”