What's happening
This bill requires public hearings and board approval before the MTA can raise fares, parking fees, or other significant service charges.
Why it matters
Increases Public Accountability. By requiring public hearings before fare or fee increases, the bill ensures that riders and affected communities have a formal opportunity to voice concerns and influence decisions that impact their daily costs.
Expands Oversight to More Charges. The legislation goes beyond just subway or bus fares—it also covers parking fees and any other service charge that could significantly raise the overall cost of using MTA transportation, meaning a wider range of price changes would face public scrutiny.
Mandates Transparent Board Approval. Any significant increase must be approved by a majority vote of the MTA board, raising the bar for internal consensus and making it harder to push through unpopular or controversial price hikes without clear support.
Promotes Geographic Fairness. Hearings must be held in locations throughout the metropolitan commuter transportation district, helping ensure that people from different neighborhoods and transit zones have a chance to participate and be heard.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Require Public Hearings for Fare Hikes
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to transportation
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.
Require MTA Public Hearings
In Assembly Committee · Corporations, Authorities And Commissions · Sponsor Marcos Crespo
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4855
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
March 3, 2017
Introduced by Sens. DIAZ, HAMILTON -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the public authorities law, in relation to the power of the metropolitan transportation authority to increase rates and fees
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 3 of section 1266 of the public authorities law, as amended by chapter 314 of the laws of 1981, is amended to read as follows:
3. The authority may establish, levy and collect or cause to be established, levied and collected and, in the case of a joint service arrangement, join with others in the establishment, levy and collection of such fares, tolls, rentals, rates, charges and other fees as it may deem necessary, convenient or desirable for the use and operation of any transportation facility and related services operated by the authority or by a subsidiary corporation of the authority or under contract, lease or other arrangement, including joint service arrangements, with the authority. Any such fares, tolls, rentals, rates, charges or other fees for the transportation of passengers, the parking of vehicles, or any other service if the establishment of or increase in charges for such other service would represent a significant increase in the overall cost of the use of transportation services shall be established and changed only if approved by resolution of the authority adopted by not less than a majority vote of the whole number of members of the authority then in office, with the chairman having one additional vote in the event of a tie vote, and only after a public hearing, provided however, that fares, tolls, rentals, rates, charges or other fees for the transportation of passengers on any transportation facility, the parking of vehicles or other services which are in effect at the time that the then owner of such transportation facility becomes a subsidiary corporation of the authority or at the time that operation of such transportation facility
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07309-01-7
S. 4855 2
is commenced by the authority or is commenced under contract, lease or other arrangement, including joint service arrangements, with the authority may be continued in effect without such a hearing. Any public hearings required by this subdivision shall be held in such locations in the metropolitan commuter transportation district as shall afford an opportunity to be heard to such person as may be affected by the proposed charges. Such fares, tolls, rentals, rates, charges and other fees shall be established as may in the judgment of the authority be necessary to maintain the combined operations of the authority and its subsidiary corporations on a self-sustaining basis. The said operations shall be deemed to be on a self-sustaining basis as required by this title, when the authority is able to pay or cause to be paid from revenue and any other funds or property actually available to the authority and its subsidiary corporations (a) as the same shall become due, the principal of and interest on the bonds and notes and other obligations of the authority and of such subsidiary corporations, together with the maintenance of proper reserves therefor, (b) the cost and expense of keeping the properties and assets of the authority and its subsidiary corporations in good condition and repair, and (c) the capital and operating expenses of the authority and its subsidiary corporations. The authority may contract with the holders of bonds and notes with respect to the exercise of the powers authorized by this section. No acts or activities taken or proposed to be taken by the authority or any subsidiary of the authority pursuant to the provisions of this subdivision shall be deemed to be "actions" for the purposes or within the meaning of article eight of the environmental conservation law.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall have become a law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the public authorities law, in relation to the power of the metropolitan transportation authority to increase rates and fees
Purpose or general idea of bill
To require the Metropolitan Transit Authority to hold public hearings when they propose to raise fares, tolls, etc when such proposed increase would represent a significant increase in the overall cost of transportation services.
Summary of specific provisions
Section 1. Amends the Public Authorities Law, section 1266 (3). Requires the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to hold public hearings throughout the metropolitan commuter transportation area when fares, tolls, rates, charges, the parking of vehicles and other fees for the transportation of passengers, are proposed to be increased. Such proposed increase must represent a significant increase in the overall cost of such transportation services.
Section 2. Effective Date.
Existing law
Public Authorities Law; Title 11 - Metropolitan Commuter Transportation Authority; Section 1266- Special Powers of the Authority. Current statute does not specify as to where the public hearings should be held.
Justification
Any new or increased fares, tolls, rates, or surcharges should be justified to the riding public by requiring the MTA to hold public hearings throughout their service area to allow for public input when such proposal will represent a significant increase in the cost of services.
Legislative history
2016: S.361- REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION/A.6683-referred to corporations, authorities and commissions 2105: S.361- REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION /A.6683-referred to corporations, authorities and commissions 2013: S.861 - Referred to Transportation/A.2528 - Referred to Corporations, Authorities and Commissions 2012: S.349 - Referred to Corporations, Authorities and Commissions/A.1174 - Referred to Corporations, Authorities and Commissions 2011: S.349 - Notice of Committee Consideration Requested, Committee Discharged and Committed to Corporations, Authorities and Commissions A.1174 - Referred to Corporations, Authorities and Commissions 2010: S.3431 - Referred to Transportation /A.8845- Referred to Transportation 2009: S.3431 - Referred to Transportation A.6810 - Enacting Clause Stricken A.8845 - Referred to Transportation 2007-08 A.7085 - Advanced to Third Reading 2007: A.3310 - Enacting Clause Stricken
Fiscal implications
None. EFFECTIVE DATE : This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after enactment.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.