Requires the metropolitan transportation authority to post signage over mass transit seats indicating that individuals should give up their seats for the elderly, pregnant and disabled; provides such signage shall be conspicuously posted and visible from all seats; provides costs and expenses to be paid through appropriated funds.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A80
SPONSOR: Rosenthal L TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public authorities law, in relation to priority
seating for pregnant, elderly, and disabled passengers
PURPOSE:
This bill requires the MTA to post signage in each subway car or bus
indicating that individuals should give up their seats for pregnant,
elderly, and disabled passengers;
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section one amends the public authorities law by adding a new section
1266-1.
Section two sets forth the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
Riding the subway or taking a bus is part of nearly all New York City
residents' daily routine. Under the federal Americans with Disabilities
Act (ADA), public transportation authorities are required to make prior-
ity seating available for riders with disabilities and senior citizens.
The New York City Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) encourages
riders to similarly give up their seats to pregnant individuals. While
the MTA already designates a small number of priority seats, many commu-
ters fail to give up their seats to priority passengers, who are then
forced to stand for the entirety of their commute as a result.
This bill will help to encourage commuters to give up their seats for
pregnant, elderly, and disabled passengers by requiring signage in each
subway car or bus as well as designating certain seats as reserved for
pregnant, elderly, and disabled passengers.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2021-22: A.147 - Reported to Ways and Means
2019-20: A.182-A - Reported to Ways and Means
2017-18: A.586-A - Reported to Ways and Means; S.6403-A - Referred to
Transportation
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Undetermined.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect in 120 days.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
80
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY(Prefiled)
January 4, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. L. ROSENTHAL, OTIS -- 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 Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The public authorities law is amended by adding a new
2 section 1266-m to read as follows:
3 § 1266-m. Priority seating for pregnant, elderly, and disabled passen-
4 gers. 1. The authority shall post signage, which may take the form of a
5 sticker, in each subway car and bus, in the manner and of the size and
6 number, sufficient to be viewed by passengers in all parts of such
7 subway car and bus which states, either graphically or in the languages
8 the authority deems appropriate: "Please give up your seat for pregnant,
9 elderly, or disabled passengers."
10 2. The authority shall post signage, which may take the form of a
11 sticker, designating certain seats in such subway car and bus as
12 reserved for pregnant, elderly or disabled passengers. Such signage
13 shall state, either graphically or in the languages the authority deems
14 appropriate: "These seats are reserved for pregnant, elderly, and disa-
15 bled passengers."
16 3. In addition to the signage required in subdivisions one and two of
17 this section, such information shall be included in any LED banner signs
18 and any announcements made in subway cars or buses.
19 4. The authority shall not pay any costs or expenses related to prior-
20 ity seating signage for pregnant, elderly, and disabled passengers from
21 its operating or capital budgets and may only implement priority seating
22 signage for pregnant, elderly, and disabled passengers with funds appro-
23 priated to it by the state of New York for such purpose.
24 § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
25 it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00029-01-3
