What's happening
The bill requires the MTA to hold an additional public hearing if over 75 people cannot attend due to lack of seating, and to notify them.
Why it matters
Enhances public participation and transparency. by requiring the MTA to hold another hearing when more than 75 people are turned away due to lack of seating, ensuring that community voices are not excluded simply because of space limitations.
Mandates direct notification. to those unable to attend, via mail, about the new hearing, which increases accountability and ensures impacted stakeholders have a fair chance to engage in the decision-making process.
Requires larger venues for high-interest issues. (like fare increases or service cuts), proactively addressing situations where major changes are likely to draw significant public attention and preventing inadequate public accommodations.
Establishes a clear threshold ("more than seventy-five persons"). for what constitutes a “substantial number,” bringing clarity to what triggers a new hearing and reducing ambiguity for both the public and the MTA.
Albany, before your first meeting.
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Who cares
Headline styles
More Public Hearings Required
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Assembly Member · Assembly District 25
2 Co-sponsors
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.
Guarantee Public Hearing Access
In Senate Committee · Transportation · Sponsor Leroy Comrie
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4829
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 5, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. ROZIC, SIMON -- read once and referred to the Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions
AN ACT to amend the public authorities law, in relation to the conduct of public hearings by the metropolitan transportation authority
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 1263 of the public authorities law is amended by adding a new subdivision 10 to read as follows:
10. Where a substantial number of persons are unable to attend a public hearing as the result of insufficient seating capacity, one subsequent, additional hearing shall be required in order to comply with public hearing requirements. Such subsequent hearing shall be held in reasonable proximity to the location of the hearing which did not provide adequate public accommodations. An officer or employee of the authority shall record the names and addresses of any interested persons who are unable to enter a hearing room due to capacity limitations and shall notify such persons by mail of the date and location of the subsequent hearing, in addition to any other hearing notice requirements. Where the authority determines that extensive public interest is anticipated regarding the issue being addressed, a required hearing shall be held in a venue designed to accommodate such public participation. The authority shall presume that there is a substantial public interest in fare increases or service reductions. For the purposes of this subdivision, "substantial number" shall be interpreted to mean more than seventy-five persons.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00820-01-9
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.