Assembly Bill A10057

                                BILL NUMBER:A10057

TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the public authorities law, in relation
to directing the metropolitan transportation authority to establish and
implement a no fare program for children attending public school in the
city district of the city of New York

PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL: The general purpose is to insure that a
no fare program for the transportation of primary and secondary school-
aged children attending school in the city of New York is established
and implemented.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS: Section one of the bill amends section
1266 of the public authorities law by adding a new subdivision 19.  The
new subdivision requires the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to
establish and implement a no fare program to provide free fare access to
public transportation for primary and secondary school-aged children
attending school in the city district of the City of New York, This act
shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day.

JUSTIFICATION: The Metropolitan Transportation Authority currently oper-
ates a student Metrocard program that provides free fare cards to more
than a half-million New York City school children who use mass transit
to travel to and from school everyday. In December 2009 the board of
directors of the MTA decided to phase out this essential transportation
program and, beginning in the fall of 2010, all school children to be
              

required to pay at least half-fare when using public transportation as
they travel to and from school.

The severity of the cutbacks approved by the MTA board go well beyond
any justified   reduction in service and the financial impact on the
children and families throughout New York City if these service
reductions go forward is clearly unreasonable. Those families with
multiple school-aged children will be particularly hard hit by a half-
fare cost that will reach $450 per student for a standard 180-day school
year in the fall 2010 and, along with the severe financial hardship this
will cause, the elimination of the free student Metrocard program could
also have the effect of making school attendance virtually unaffordable
for many families.

The MTA board of director's decision to eliminate student Metrocards for
school students constitutes a regressive policy that undermines a
child's fundamental right of access to a quality education and will
create an unacceptable financial hardship for hundreds of thousands of
families throughout New York City.

This legislation would require the MTA to reverse its position by
requiring the establishment and implementation of a student Metrocard
program that provides free transportation to primary and secondary
school-aged children attending school in New York City. By doing so,
this bill protects this vital transit services that are needed by so
many New York City school students and their families.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: First introduced in 2010.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: None to the state.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth
day after its enactment.