What's happening
The bill allows domestic companion animals to board public transportation during declared emergencies and evacuations, with certain conditions and exceptions.
Why it matters
Addresses a major barrier to evacuation for pet owners. By allowing domestic companion animals on public transportation during emergencies, the bill helps ensure people aren’t forced to choose between personal safety and abandoning their pets, which can increase compliance with evacuation orders and potentially save lives (both human and animal).
Sets clear conditions and exceptions to balance safety. The bill requires that animals must be leashed, tethered, or in an appropriate container, and allows for refusal if the animal poses a health or safety risk—helping to minimize conflicts or hazards for other passengers and transit workers.
Protects the rights of people with service animals. By guaranteeing priority seating for passengers with service animals under the ADA, the bill ensures that expanded pet access during emergencies does not undermine the rights or accommodations of individuals with disabilities.
Depends on bi-state cooperation. The law will only take effect if New Jersey enacts identical legislation, reflecting the shared governance of the Port Authority and ensuring a coordinated approach to emergency animal evacuation across state lines.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Let Pets Ride in Emergencies
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
3 Co-sponsors
History
- Substituted by S7112
- Advanced to third reading cal.908
- Reported
- 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.
Pets Allowed on Transit Emergencies
Signed by Governor · Sponsor Andrew J. Lanza
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4956
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 6, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. ROSENTHAL, CUSICK, BRINDISI, WEPRIN -- read once and referred to the Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions
AN ACT to amend chapter 154 of the laws of 1921, relating to the port authority of New York and New Jersey, in relation to authorizing domestic companion animals be permitted to board any public transportation or public transportation service in the event of a state of emergency and evacuation of a region
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 1 of chapter 154 of the laws of 1921, relating to the port authority of New York and New Jersey, is amended by adding a new article VII-E to read as follows:
ARTICLE VII-E
1. a. For the purposes of this article:
(i) "Domestic companion animal" means a companion animal or pet as defined in section three hundred fifty of the agriculture and markets law and shall also mean any other domesticated animal normally maintained in or near the household of the owner or person who cares for such other domesticated animal. "Pet" or "companion animal" shall not include a "farm animal," as defined in section three hundred fifty of the agriculture and markets law.
(ii) "Public transportation or public transportation service" means rail passenger service, motorbus regular route service, paratransit service, motorbus charter service, and ferry passenger service.
b. (i) In the event that a state of emergency has been declared and an evacuation of any region of the state is in progress, the owner of a domestic companion animal shall be permitted to board any public transportation or public transportation service with the domestic companion animal so long as that animal is under the owner's control by use of a leash or tether, or is properly confined in an appropriate container or
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02448-02-7
A. 4956 2
by other suitable means, provided that such boarding is authorized by and consistent with the provisions of state disaster emergency plans or local state of emergency plans pertaining to the needs of animals and individuals with an animal under their care. The provisions of this article shall only apply to the owners of domestic companion animals who are evacuating from a region of the state affected by the emergency or local disaster emergency as defined in section twenty of the executive law, or a local state of emergency, as defined in section twenty-four of the executive law.
(ii) A domestic companion animal may be refused permission to board any public transportation or public transportation service, even if the animal is under the owner's control or properly confined in accordance with this paragraph if there is reasonable cause to believe that, due to attendant circumstances, permitting the animal to board would pose a health or safety hazard.
c. All passengers with service animals shall be given priority seating on all means of transportation regulated by this article in accordance with the federal "Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990" (42 U.S.C. s.12101 et seq.). For the purposes of this article, "service animal" shall have the same meaning as set forth in the federal "Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990" (42 U.S.C. s.12101 et seq.) and any regulations under the act.
d. All passengers on any public transportation or public transportation service shall be provided seating before a domestic companion animal may be placed in a seat.
2. The port authority is hereby authorized to make and enforce such rules and regulations necessary for the implementation of this article.
§ 2. This act shall take effect upon the enactment into law by the state of New Jersey of legislation having an identical effect; but if the state of New Jersey shall have already enacted such legislation, then this act shall take effect immediately and provided that the state of New Jersey shall notify the legislative bill drafting commission upon the occurrence of the enactment of the provisions provided for in this act in order that the commission may maintain an accurate and timely effective data base of the official text of the laws of the state of New York in furtherance of effectuating the provisions of section 44 of the legislative law and section 70-b of the public officers law.
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.