What's happening
This bill makes it third-degree assault to injure drivers, operators, passengers, or staff on public or for-hire transportation.
Why it matters
Expanding Protections for Transportation Workers and Riders. By specifically including drivers, operators, staff, and passengers of public and for-hire vehicles (such as buses, subways, and taxis), the bill aims to deter assaults in transit environments—recognized as areas of heightened risk and frequent conflict.
Addressing Public Safety Concerns. The measure responds to concerns over the safety of both workers and the riding public, potentially reducing incidents that can disrupt service, cause injuries, and contribute to an atmosphere of fear on public transport.
Clarity and Accountability. By explicitly stating that offenders must know or should reasonably know the victim is a transportation worker performing their duties or a passenger, the law closes loopholes and makes prosecution of such assaults more straightforward.
Broader Social Impact. This legislative change signals a societal commitment to valuing and protecting essential workers and the general public, which may encourage greater use of public and for-hire transportation by improving perceptions of safety.
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Who cares
Transit operators, taxi drivers and school bus drivers
The bill would add a third-degree assault provision covering physical injury to them when the person causing it knows or reasonably should know they are performing their duties.
Passengers on transportation for hire
The bill would cover physical injury to passengers on buses, taxicabs, aerial tramways, subways and other motor vehicles for hire when the person causing it knows or reasonably should know they are passengers.
Station agents and ticket agents
The new provision would cover injuries to these transportation employees when the person causing injury knows or reasonably should know they are on duty.
Prosecutors and criminal defense attorneys
The bill would add a basis for third-degree assault charges tied to the victim’s transportation role or passenger status and the accused’s knowledge of that status.
Headline styles
Protect Transit Workers, Passengers
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to codes
- Referred to codes
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.
Expand Assault Law for Transportation
In Senate Committee · Codes · Sponsor Toby Ann Stavisky
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4014
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 31, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. WEPRIN -- read once and referred to the Committee on Codes
AN ACT to amend the penal law, in relation to assault in the third degree
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 3 of section 120.00 of the penal law is renumbered subdivision 4, and a new subdivision 3 is added to read as follows:
3. He or she causes physical injury to an operator, driver, or passenger on a bus, taxicab, aerial tramway, subway, or other motor vehicle, used for the transportation of persons for hire, or to a school bus driver, a station agent or ticket agent for the entity providing the transportation, and he or she knows or reasonably should know that the victim, in the case of an operator, driver, or agent, is engaged in the performance of his or her duties, or is a passenger; or
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08225-01-9
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.