What's happening
This bill requires the MTA and NYC Transit Authority to ensure all subway security cameras work and publish annual reports on camera failures.
Why it matters
Increases subway safety and accountability. by legally requiring both the MTA and NYC Transit Authority to keep all subway station security cameras in working order, not just install them.
Mandates transparency about system vulnerabilities. The required annual report must detail how many cameras failed, for how long, and why, station-by-station—giving the public and policymakers clearer insight into security gaps.
Enables better oversight and future improvements. By tracking the causes and durations of camera malfunctions, the bill creates a data-driven foundation for fixing chronic issues and prioritizing investments where security is weakest.
Empowers public and media scrutiny. The published reports could be used by riders, advocates, and journalists to hold transit agencies accountable when cameras are offline, potentially influencing safety policy and resource allocation.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Fix Subway Security Cameras
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to transportation
- Referred to transportation
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
591
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE (Prefiled)
January 4, 2017
Introduced by Sen. PERALTA -- 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 directing the metropolitan transportation authority and the New York city transit authority to ensure proper operation of security cameras at subway stations and issue reports thereon
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 1204 of the public authorities law is amended by adding a new subdivision 16-b to read as follows:
16-b. (a) The authority shall ensure proper operation of all security cameras at all subway stations operated by such authority.
(b) The authority is further directed to publish an annual report relating to the proper operation of security cameras at subway stations, which shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
(1) the total number of systemwide incidents of security camera failures occurring within a calendar year, as well as a metric indicating the percentage of all systemwide security cameras having failed at a point during a calendar year;
(2) the length of time that each security camera experiencing a failure was malfunctioning for;
(3) when determinable, a metric indicating the cause or causes of security camera failures within a calendar year; and
(4) a list of security camera failures occurring within the calendar year, delineated by each subway station operated by the authority.
§ 2. Section 1265 of the public authorities law is amended by adding a new subdivision 12-a to read as follows:
12-a. (a) The authority shall ensure proper operation of all security cameras at all subway stations operated by such authority.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00143-01-7
S. 591 2
(b) Such authority is further directed to publish an annual report relating to the proper operation of security cameras at subway stations, which shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
(i) the total number of systemwide incidents of security camera failures occurring within a calendar year, as well as a metric indicating the percentage of all systemwide security cameras having failed at a point during a calendar year;
(ii) the length of time that each security camera experiencing a failure was malfunctioning for;
(iii) when determinable, a metric indicating the cause or causes of security camera failures within a calendar year; and
(iv) a list of security camera failures occurring within the calendar year, delineated by each subway station operated by the authority.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
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 directing the metropolitan transportation authority and the New York city transit authority to ensure proper operation of security cameras at subway stations and issue reports thereon
Purpose
This bill directs the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to ensure proper operation of all security cameras in its operated subway stations, as well as publish annual reports as to instances of failures and the causes thereof
Summary of provisions
Section 1 amends the Public Authorities Law, as it pertains to the New York City Transit Authority, to direct the MTA to ensure proper operation of all security cameras in its operated subway stations, as well as to publish annual reports as to instances of failures and the causes of such failures.
Section 2 amends the Public Authorities Law, as it pertains to the Metropolitan Transit Authority, to direct the MTA to ensure proper operation of all security cameras in its operated subway stations, as well as to publish annual reports as to instances of failures and the causes of such failures.
Section 3 sets forth the effective date of this act.
Justification
This bill directs the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to implement measures that will make subways a safer place for passengers.
Ensuring that all security cameras in New York City's subway system are operational is essential to the safety of customers. As recently as 2010, Mayor Michael Bloomberg acknowledged that "a lot of those cameras don't work" when published reports indicated that about half of subway station security cameras were inoperative.
Where instances of injuries and fatalities on New York City subway tracks have escalated in recent years, it is important for security cameras to be in constant operation to determine the causes of these incidents.
Prior legislative history
2015-2016-S6348
Fiscal impact
Minimal.
Effective date
This act will take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.