What's happening
This bill requires New York bridge and tunnel authorities to provide senior citizens with tokens or devices for a 50% fare discount and permanent exemption from surcharges.
Why it matters
Provides meaningful financial relief for seniors. By mandating a 50% discount on bridge and tunnel fares after all other applicable discounts, the bill offers significant, cumulative savings to seniors, directly reducing their transportation costs.
Guarantees permanent exemption from surcharges. Seniors would not have to pay any additional surcharges beyond the base toll, ensuring predictable, lower costs and shielding them from potential future fee increases.
Promotes accessibility and independence. The law requires authorities to offer user-friendly tokens or devices specifically for seniors, making it easier for older New Yorkers to maintain mobility and active participation in community life.
May impact authority revenue and operations. While benefitting seniors, these permanent fare reductions could affect the financial planning of bridge and tunnel authorities, potentially influencing funding for maintenance or upgrades.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Half-Price Tolls for Seniors
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to corporations, authorities and commissions
- Referred to corporations, authorities and commissions
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Bridge Discounts for Seniors
In Senate Committee · Transportation · Sponsor Andrew J. Lanza
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3587
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 27, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. CUSICK -- read once and referred to the Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions
AN ACT to amend the public authorities law, in relation to discounted bridge and tunnel tokens issued to senior citizens
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The public authorities law is amended by adding a new section 553-j to read as follows:
§ 553-j. Senior citizen discount tokens. Notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of law, but subject to agreements with noteholders and bondholders, the authority shall offer for sale to senior citizens age sixty years or older, tokens or other payment devices, and may, except as otherwise provided in this section, regulate the use thereof. Such tokens or other payment devices shall entitle senior citizens to crossings over the bridges and tunnels operated by the authority at a reduced cost of fifty percent of the regular fare or toll imposed. Such senior citizen discount shall be applied after any and all other discounts that the senior citizen may be legally entitled to by law have been applied. In the event the authority shall impose a surcharge in addition to the regular toll for crossings over such bridges and tunnels, such surcharge shall not be deemed a part of the regular crossing fare for purposes of this section and the tokens or other payment devices offered for sale to senior citizens as herein provided shall also entitle the purchaser to a permanent exemption from the payment of any surcharge. Application for such tokens or other payment devices shall be made in such manner as prescribed by the authority and shall contain such information as the authority may reasonably require.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00312-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.