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Sponsors
14 Co-sponsors
History
- Held for consideration in corporations, authorities and commissions
- Referred to corporations, authorities and commissions
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:A10057
Title of bill
An act to amend the public authorities law, in relation to directing the metropolitan transportation authority to establish and implement a no fare program for children attending public school in the city district of the city of New York
Purpose or general idea of bill
The general purpose is to insure that a no fare program for the transportation of primary and secondary school- aged children attending school in the city of New York is established and implemented.
Summary of specific provisions
Section one of the bill amends section 1266 of the public authorities law by adding a new subdivision 19. The new subdivision requires the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to establish and implement a no fare program to provide free fare access to public transportation for primary and secondary school-aged children attending school in the city district of the City of New York, This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day.
Justification
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority currently oper- ates a student Metrocard program that provides free fare cards to more than a half-million New York City school children who use mass transit to travel to and from school everyday. In December 2009 the board of directors of the MTA decided to phase out this essential transportation program and, beginning in the fall of 2010, all school children to be required to pay at least half-fare when using public transportation as they travel to and from school.
The severity of the cutbacks approved by the MTA board go well beyond any justified reduction in service and the financial impact on the children and families throughout New York City if these service reductions go forward is clearly unreasonable. Those families with multiple school-aged children will be particularly hard hit by a half- fare cost that will reach $450 per student for a standard 180-day school year in the fall 2010 and, along with the severe financial hardship this will cause, the elimination of the free student Metrocard program could also have the effect of making school attendance virtually unaffordable for many families.
The MTA board of director's decision to eliminate student Metrocards for school students constitutes a regressive policy that undermines a child's fundamental right of access to a quality education and will create an unacceptable financial hardship for hundreds of thousands of families throughout New York City.
This legislation would require the MTA to reverse its position by requiring the establishment and implementation of a student Metrocard program that provides free transportation to primary and secondary school-aged children attending school in New York City. By doing so, this bill protects this vital transit services that are needed by so many New York City school students and their families.
Prior legislative history
First introduced in 2010.
Fiscal implications
None to the state.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after its enactment.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.