Provides a non-revenue E-ZPass to every sworn officer of the metropolitan transportation police department; provides for the disposal of such E-ZPass after a police officer leaves the metropolitan transportation authority.
Summary
This bill would amend the Public Authorities Law to create a new section authorizing toll reimbursement benefits for sworn officers of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police Department. It defines covered personnel broadly to include sworn police officers as well as the chief of police, deputy chief, captains, lieutenants, and sergeants employed by the MTA.
Under the bill, each covered officer would be entitled to a non-revenue E-ZPass, or a successor device, for commuting only. The bill also requires the device to be surrendered when the officer retires, resigns, or is terminated, unless a collective bargaining or other memorandum of agreement with the authority provides otherwise. The act would take effect immediately.
Impact
The bill would add a new toll-benefit provision to the Public Authorities Law applicable specifically to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police Department. It would require the MTA to provide non-revenue E-ZPass devices to eligible sworn officers for commuting, creating an administrative and financial obligation for the authority and establishing a statutory rule governing when the benefit must be returned. The measure would affect MTA police personnel and the authority’s toll and employee-benefit policies, while leaving room for different treatment if addressed in a memorandum of agreement.
Sentiment
No committee transcript or vote record is available, so there is no documented floor or committee debate to gauge broader sentiment. Based on the bill text and caption, the proposal appears supportive of MTA police personnel by extending a commuting benefit, and it was introduced and referred to the Senate Transportation Committee without recorded opposition or amendment in the provided materials.
Contention
The main potential point of contention is the provision of a toll-free or non-revenue E-ZPass benefit to a specific class of public employees, which may raise questions about cost, fairness, and whether the benefit should be limited to MTA police officers. Another possible issue is the bill’s interaction with collective bargaining or memoranda of agreement, since those agreements can alter the surrender requirement upon separation from service. No specific objections were recorded in the provided materials.
Same As
Provides a non-revenue E-ZPass to every sworn officer of the metropolitan transportation police department; provides for the disposal of such E-ZPass after a police officer leaves the metropolitan transportation authority.
Provides a non-revenue E-ZPass to every sworn officer of the metropolitan transportation police department; provides for the disposal of such E-ZPass after a police officer leaves the metropolitan transportation authority.
Directs the metropolitan transportation authority, in consultation with the Long Island Rail Road, the New York city transit authority, and the Metro-North Commuter Railroad Company, to establish a no fare program for transportation on the Long Island Rail Road, the New York city transit authority, and the Metro-North Commuter Railroad Company for certain active duty, reserves, retired armed forces members, firefighters, and police officers.
Designates the Nassau-Suffolk transportation coordinating committee as the metropolitan planning organization for Long Island; provides for the withdrawal of the Nassau-Suffolk coordinating committee from the New York Metropolitan transportation council.
Provides that it shall be a defense to any prosecution for a violation of a bus lane restriction pursuant to a bus rapid transit program when an employee of the metropolitan transportation authority is performing authorized duties on behalf of such authority and is operating an authorized employer motor vehicle in the bus lane at the time of the violation and conducting lawful business or providing service to an official metropolitan transportation authority vehicle or personnel while in a bus lane.