NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A10511
SPONSOR: Zaccaro TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the military law, in relation to free use of subways,
buses and trains for certain members of the New York national guard
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This bill relates to free use of subways, buses and trains for uniformed
members of the New York national guard with orders for duty or a certif-
icate of an order for duty.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1. Section 237 of the military law is amended to include
subways, buses and trains for free use by uniformed members of the New
York national guard or presents an order for duty or a certificate of an
order for duty.
Section 2. Effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
The National Guard plays a critical role in New York's emergency-res-
ponse system, providing rapid support during storms, floods, infrastruc-
ture failures, public-health emergencies, and security incidents.
Members are often activated with little notice and must report quickly
to armories, staging areas, and operational sites across the state.
In dense urban areas especially New York City traffic, parking limita-
tions, and transit costs can slow or complicate deployment. Allowing
uniformed Guard members with an order for duty or a certificate of an
order for duty to use subways, buses, and trains at no cost removes
these barriers and enables faster, more predictable movement. This
improves statewide readiness, strengthens interagency coordination, and
ensures that emergency responses are not hindered by transportation
challenges.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
To be determined.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall become
law.
