Senate Bill S6325B

                                BILL NUMBER:S6325

TITLE OF BILL:
An  act  to  amend the transportation law, in relation to the New York
city paratransit transportation program

PURPOSE:
This bill would therefore require offices of New York City paratransit
programs such as Access-a-Ride be capable of taking ID photos at their
offices. This is specifically targeted at the  Access-a-Ride  program,
where applicants are required to submit an application with a passport
sized  photograph  for  the  AAR  ID  card  and appear in person for a
medical evaluation. The requirement to bring a printed photograph is a
burden for the elderly and or disabled applicants and should no longer
be needed given the ubiquity of digital photography.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section one amends subdivision 5 of section 15-b of the transportation
law by adding a new paragraph c which directs the agency designated by
the mayor of the city of New York to promulgate rules and  regulations
requiring each paratransit program offices to have a camera for taking
photos.

Section  two states that this act shall take effect on the one hundred
twentieth day after it shall have become a law. Effective immediately,
the addition, amendment  and/or  repeal  of  any  rule  or  regulation
              

necessary  for the implementation of this act on its effective date is
authorized to be made on or before such date.

JUSTIFICATION:
The American with Disabilities Act ("ADA") requires  that  all  public
transportation  agencies  in  the  United  States  provide paratransit
services to people with physical or mental  disabilities,  who  cannot
use  public  bus  or train service. MTA New York City Transit provides
paratransit service to  New  Yorkers  with  disabilities  through  the
Access-a-Ride  program.  Access-a-Ride  serves  approximately  150,000
registrants and makes  about  27,000  trips  per  week.  In  order  to
determine  eligibility  for  Access-a-Ride,  MTA New York City Transit
requires  applicants  to  have  a   face-to-face   interview   at   an
Access-a-Ride approved assessment center. Access-a-Ride applicants are
required  to  bring  a  passport sized photograph with their completed
application, when attending an evaluation. If an  applicant  does  not
bring  a photograph to the evaluation center, the application will not
be accepted. Many Access-a-Ride applicants  suffer  from  physical  or
mental  disabilities  that make traveling to multiple locations in one
day very difficult.  Some  New  York  State  agencies,  including  the
Department  of  Motor  Vehicles,  have  the  capability  to photograph
applicants at their locations. It would be very convenient for seniors
and persons with disabilities  to  simply  be  able  to  fill  out  an
application at home and travel directly to an Access-a-Ride evaluation
center,  without  having  to  further  travel to have their photograph
taken.   This bill will require  whichever  agency  is  designated  to
operate  paratransit  offices  to install and operate photo cameras in
each office as a service for their clientele,  including  seniors  and
persons with disabilities, who may otherwise face a substantial burden


by  having to travel to one location to obtain the required photograph
and to another to submit the completed application.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Negligible.

EFFECTIVE DATE:
This  act  shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after it
shall  have  become  a  low.  Effective  immediately,  the   addition,
amendment  and/or  repeal  of any rule or regulation necessary for the
implementation of this act on its effective date is authorized  to  be
made on or before such date.

                                BILL NUMBER:S6325A

TITLE OF BILL:
An act
to amend the transportation law, in relation to the New York city
paratransit transportation program

PURPOSE:
Requires cameras at all offices operating the paratransit
transportation program in NYC.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section one amends subdivision 5 of section 15-b of the transportation
law.

Section two states that this act shall take effect on the one hundred
twentieth day after it shall have become a law. Effective
immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or
regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its
effective date is authorized to be made on or before such date.

JUSTIFICATION:
The American with Disabilities Act ("ADA") requires that all public
transportation agencies in the United States provide paratransit
services to people with physical or mental disabilities, who cannot
use public bus or train service. MTA New York City Transit provides
              

paratransit service to New Yorkers with disabilities through the
Access-a-Ride program. Access-a-Ride serves approximately 150,000
registrants and makes about 27.000 trips per week. In order to
determine eligibility for Access-a-Ride, MTA New York City Transit
requires applicants to have a face-to-face interview at an
Access-a-Ride approved assessment center. Access-a-Ride applicants
are required to bring a passport sized photograph with their completed
application, when attending an evaluation. If an applicant does not
bring a photograph to the evaluation center, the application will not
be accepted. Many Access-a-Ride applicants suffer from physical or
mental disabilities that make traveling to multiple locations in one
day very difficult. Some New York State agencies, including the
Department of Motor Vehicles, have the capability to photograph
applicants at their locations. It would be very convenient for
seniors and persons with disabilities to simply be able to
fill out an application at home and travel directly to an
Access-a-Ride evaluation center, without having to further travel to
have their photograph taken.
This bill will require whichever agency is designated to operate
paratransit offices to install and operate photo cameras in each
office as a service for their clientele, including seniors and
persons with disabilities, who may otherwise face a substantial
burden by having to travel to one location to obtain the required
photograph and to another to submit the completed application.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Negligible.

EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after it
shall have become a low. Effective immediately, the addition,
amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the
implementation of this act on its effective date is authorized to be
made on or before such date.