Establishes a discount fare rate of no less than 25% for full-time undergraduate students attending an accredited college who utilize the New York city transit system, including railroad, subway and/or omnibus services.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A1770
SPONSOR: Colton (MS) TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public authorities law, in relation to rates of fare
on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
Establishes a discount fare rate of no less than 25% for undergraduate
students attending an accredited college full time on the Metropolitan
Transportation Authority system.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Amends § 1266 of the public authorities law by adding a new subdivision
19 providing for a discount fare rate program of no less than twenty-
five percent of the regular fare for full-time undergraduate students
attending an accredited college.
JUSTIFICATION:
A college education is essential in today's economy. With the increases
to property taxes, utilities, gasoline, and with the growing unemploy-
ment rate, parents are hard pressed to continue funding increased costs
associated with a college education. With the increases to property
taxes, utilities, gasoline, and with the growing unemployment rate,
parents are hard pressed to continue funding increased costs associated
with a college education. Students who are funding their higher educa-
tion on their own through student loans and work are in a worse position
due to tuition and fee increases.
People who graduated from one of the CUNY institutions between 1970 and
1997 pay an estimated $708 million per year more in City and State taxes
than if they had not earned a college degree.• Their annual spending is
$4.6 billion higher than if. they had not gone to college.
This legislation will lower transportation costs for those who are
attending an accredited college full-time. College students and their
families need all the help they can get to make a college education
possible.
An additional significant benefit of this legislation would be encourag-
ing the use of public transportation which provides environmental bene-
fits to all residents. Use of public transportation can lower air
pollution and help New York State comply with environmental standards.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-24: A.1763/Corps
2021-22: A.4054/Corps
2019-20: A.3553/Corps
2017-18: A.6485/Corps
2015-16: A.4728/Corps
2013-14: A.1600/Corps
2011-12: A.1168/Corps
2009-10: A1257/Corporations, S.804/Transportation
2008: A2769/Corporations, S.2704/Transportation
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
Based upon the history of discount programs in the 1990s, it is antic-
ipated that no loss of revenue from the discounted fares would be real-
ized due to the amount of additional revenues generated from new riders
in the system.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the
date on which it shall have become a law.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
1770
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 14, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. COLTON, RIVERA, WALKER, COOK, MILLER, OTIS, McDO-
NOUGH, EPSTEIN, CRUZ, SAYEGH, HYNDMAN, REYES, SEAWRIGHT, DeSTEFANO,
BENDETT, MAHER, FORREST -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. K. BROWN,
SIMON -- read once and referred to the Committee on Corporations,
Authorities and Commissions
AN ACT to amend the public authorities law, in relation to rates of fare
on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 1266 of the public authorities law is amended by
2 adding a new subdivision 20 to read as follows:
3 20. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the authority and any
4 of its subsidiary corporations shall establish and implement a discount
5 fare rate program, such discount to be no less than twenty-five percent
6 of the regular fare, for full-time undergraduate students attending an
7 accredited college. The discount fare rate program established and
8 implemented pursuant to this subdivision shall be in operation during
9 all hours in which such authority provides railroad, subway and/or omni-
10 bus services, and such program shall not be limited in operation to
11 off-peak hours or to any other hours designated by the authority or its
12 subsidiary corporations. The chairman shall establish and implement all
13 rules and regulations necessary to effectuate this subdivision.
14 § 2. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeed-
15 ing the date on which it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04785-01-5
