What's happening
This bill requires New York transit to post and announce priority seating for pregnant, elderly, and disabled passengers, using only state-appropriated funds.
Why it matters
Increases public awareness and social responsibility. by requiring clear, visible, and multilingual signage and announcements, making it harder for riders to ignore priority seating needs for pregnant, elderly, and disabled passengers.
Could improve access and comfort. for vulnerable groups on public transit by explicitly reserving certain seats, potentially reducing awkwardness or confrontations over who should give up a seat.
Limits financial impact on transit agencies. by mandating that only specifically appropriated state funds can be used—protecting the transit system’s general and capital budgets from unplanned expenses related to this initiative.
Sets a precedent for targeted funding of accessibility measures,. potentially influencing how future transit equity improvements are budgeted and prioritized at the state level.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Post Priority Seating Signs
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
2 Co-sponsors
History
- Referred to ways and means
- Referred to ways and means
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
170
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
Introduced by M. of A. ROSENTHAL, OTIS, RAGA -- read once and referred to the Committee on Ways and Means
AN ACT to amend the public authorities law, in relation to priority seating for pregnant, elderly, and disabled passengers
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The public authorities law is amended by adding a new section 1266-n to read as follows:
§ 1266-n. Priority seating for pregnant, elderly, and disabled passengers. 1. The authority shall post signage, which may take the form of a sticker, in each subway car and bus, in the manner and of the size and number, sufficient to be viewed by passengers in all parts of such subway car and bus which states, either graphically or in the languages the authority deems appropriate: "Please give up your seat for pregnant, elderly, or disabled passengers."
2. The authority shall post signage, which may take the form of a sticker, designating certain seats in such subway car and bus as reserved for pregnant, elderly or disabled passengers. Such signage shall state, either graphically or in the languages the authority deems appropriate: "These seats are reserved for pregnant, elderly, and disabled passengers."
3. In addition to the signage required in subdivisions one and two of this section, such information shall be included in any LED banner signs and any announcements made in subway cars or buses.
4. The authority shall not pay any costs or expenses related to priority seating signage for pregnant, elderly, and disabled passengers from its operating or capital budgets and may only implement priority seating signage for pregnant, elderly, and disabled passengers with funds appropriated to it by the state of New York for such purpose.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01258-01-5
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.