Requires members of the metropolitan transportation authority police force to wear body cameras and for such camera to be on at all times during the officer's shift; directs the chief of the metropolitan transportation authority police force to promulgate rules and regulations pertaining to such body cameras.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
 
BILL NUMBER: A8943A
SPONSOR: Reyes
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the public authorities law, in relation to requiring
members of the metropolitan transportation authority police force to
wear body cameras
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This bill requires members of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority
police force to wear body cameras.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 1266-h of the public authorities
law, as added by.chapter.327 of the laws of 1997, is amended to read as
follow: Each police officer shall be assigned and required to wear
during his or he: shift a body-worn camera, which shall be capable of
both audio and video receding.
Section 2. Rules and Regulations. Section 3. Sets effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
At the start of the year, New York City unveiled an initiative to equip
all uniformed patrol officers with body worn cameras. This past summer,
the state announced it was hiring 500 new state police officers who will
be assigned to monitor our subways. The Metropolitan Transportation
Authority police force are not considered members of the NYPD and as a
result will be exempt from wearing body cameras.
Body-worn cameras are a critical tool for transparency, accountability
and will protect the public safety of both civilians and members of law
enforcement.
This bill recognizes members of the Metropolitan Transportation Authori-
ty police force as "police officers," with all the powers of such police
officers and 'should be subject to the same jurisdictional provisions,
which would include requiring they wear a body camera while monitoring
New York City Transit Authority.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New Bill
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
To be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
8943--A
IN ASSEMBLY
January 2, 2020
___________
Introduced by M. of A. REYES -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions -- recommitted to the
Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions in accordance
with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 -- committee discharged, bill amended,
ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the public authorities law, in relation to requiring
members of the metropolitan transportation authority police force to
wear body cameras
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 1266-h of the public authorities
2 law, as added by chapter 327 of the laws of 1997, is amended to read as
3 follows:
4 1. The authority is hereby authorized and empowered, to provide and
5 maintain an authority police department and a uniformed authority police
6 force. Each member of such uniformed police force shall be a "police
7 officer" for the purposes of the criminal procedure law, with all of the
8 powers of such police officers thereunder and subject to the same juris-
9 dictional provisions on the exercise of that power as set forth in such
10 law. Each police officer shall be assigned and required to wear during
11 his or her shift a body-worn camera which shall be capable of both audio
12 and video recording and shall be on at all times during the officer's
13 shift. The geographical area of employment of such police officers for
14 the purposes of the criminal procedure law shall embrace the metropol-
15 itan commuter transportation district as defined in section twelve
16 hundred sixty-two of this title. Such department and force shall have
17 the power, in and about any or all of the facilities owned, occupied
18 and/or operated by the authority and its subsidiary corporations, the
19 New York city transit authority and its subsidiaries, and the triborough
20 bridge and tunnel authority, as determined in the discretion of the
21 authority, to enforce and prevent violation of all laws and ordinances.
22 Nothing herein shall confer upon the authority police force or upon
23 their collective negotiations representatives exclusive jurisdiction or
24 claim over the exercise of police power or security work on behalf of
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14032-03-0
A. 8943--A 2
1 the authority and its subsidiary corporations, the New York city transit
2 authority and its subsidiaries, and the triborough bridge and tunnel
3 authority. Nothing herein shall limit the authority and its subsidiary
4 corporations, the New York city transit authority and its subsidiaries,
5 and the triborough bridge and tunnel authority from continuing to rely
6 on local police for police services. However, traditional police func-
7 tions previously performed by the Long Island Rail Road Company and/or
8 the Metro-North Commuter Railroad Company police force shall continue to
9 be performed by the authority police forces.
10 § 2. Rules and regulations. The chief of the metropolitan transporta-
11 tion authority police shall promulgate such rules and regulations as may
12 be necessary to effectuate the provisions of this act.
13 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.