Relates to a rebate for residents of Kings county who commute across the Verrazzano-Narrows bridge more than ten times per month while using a New York customer service E-ZPass account.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A2063
SPONSOR: Eichenstein TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public authorities law, in relation to a rebate for
residents of Kings county who frequently commute across the Verrazzano-
Narrows bridge
PURPOSE:„. _
To provide Kings County residents who, in a month, make at least ten
trips across the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge using their E-Z Pass, with
the same discount that is available to Staten Island residents.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section one of this bill adds a new section 553-1 to the Public Authori-
ties Law to provide that any resident of Kings County who, in a month,
makes at least ten trips across the Verrazzano-Narrows bridge using a
New York customer service E-Z Pass account, will receive the same
discount provided to Staten Island residents who make at least three
trips across the bridge in a month using a New York customer service E-Z
Pass account. This discount program does not apply to vehicles that are
used for commercial purposes.
Section two of this bill sets forth the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
Many full-time employees work more than 250 days in one year. For those
Kings County residents who need to use the Verrazzano-Narrows bridge to
get to work each workday, commuting costs include more than simply gas,
vehicle wear and tear, and parking. Their commuting costs include at
least $4,250 in tolls for the VerrazanoNarrows Bridge, which, at $17, is
the most expensive toll bridge in the country. Residents who need to
use the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge to earn their livelihood should not
have to pay these outrageously high tolls simply because they need to
get to and from work. This bill will allow them to keep more of their
hard-earned wages by reducing the toll for crossing the Verrazano-Nar-
rows Bridge.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
01/03/24: referred to Corporations, Authorities, and Commissions
02/08/23: referred to Corporations, Authorities, and Commissions
01/05/22: referred to Corporations, Authorities, and Commissions
03/23/21: referred to Corporations, Authorities, and Commissions
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
To be determined.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall have
become a law.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
2063
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 15, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. EICHENSTEIN -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions
AN ACT to amend the public authorities law, in relation to a rebate for
residents of Kings county who frequently commute across the Verrazza-
no-Narrows bridge
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The public authorities law is amended by adding a new
2 section 553-l to read as follows:
3 § 553-l. Verrazzano-Narrows bridge; Kings county program. Notwith-
4 standing any inconsistent provision of law, but subject to agreements
5 with noteholders and bondholders, the authority shall credit residents
6 of the county of Kings who make ten or more trips per month using a New
7 York customer service E-ZPass account on the Verrazzano-Narrows bridge
8 with the same rebate or rebates provided to Staten Island residents who
9 make three or more trips per month using a New York customer service
10 E-ZPass account on the Verrazzano-Narrows bridge, provided, however,
11 that such credit shall not apply to trips made by vehicles that are used
12 for commercial purposes.
13 § 2. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall
14 have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02236-01-5
