S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7350
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              March 25, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  BLUMENCRANZ -- read once and referred to the
   Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions
 
 AN ACT to amend the public authorities law, in  relation  to  suspending
   state  funding  to  the  metropolitan transportation authority and New
   York city transit authority pending safety compliance and  a  forensic
   audit; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration
   thereof
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may  be  cited  as
 the "make the MTA safe again act."
   §  2.  Legislative findings and intent. The legislature finds that the
 safety and security of transit passengers and workers within the  metro-
 politan transportation authority (MTA) and New York city transit author-
 ity  (NYCTA)  systems are of paramount concern. Recent reports and over-
 sight  actions  by  the  United  States  department  of   transportation
 highlight  significant  deficiencies  in crime prevention, fare enforce-
 ment, and transit  worker  safety.  New  York  State  taxpayers  deserve
 accountability in transit funding, ensuring that financial resources are
 directed  toward public safety and system integrity. This act mandates a
 temporary halt on state funding to the  MTA  and  NYCTA  until  critical
 safety and security benchmarks are met and an independent forensic audit
 of the MTA's finances is completed.
   §  3.  The  public  authorities law is amended by adding a new section
 1279-m  to read as follows:
   § 1279-M. SUSPENSION OF STATE FUNDING. 1.  NOTWITHSTANDING  ANY  OTHER
 PROVISION  OF  LAW  TO  THE  CONTRARY,  NO  FUTURE  STATE FUNDS SHALL BE
 DISBURSED TO THE AUTHORITY OR THE NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT AUTHORITY  UNTIL
 SUCH  TIME  AS  THE  AUTHORITIES  PROVIDE  SUFFICIENT  DOCUMENTATION AND
 COMPLIANCE WITH THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS:

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD11187-01-5
 A. 7350                             2
              

 
   (A) IMPLEMENTATION OF A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TO  REDUCE  TRANSIT  WORKER
 ASSAULTS,  INCLUDING  COMPLETION OF DE-ESCALATION TRAINING FOR ALL RELE-
 VANT EMPLOYEES AND EXPANSION OF  LAW  ENFORCEMENT  PRESENCE  WITHIN  THE
 TRANSIT SYSTEM;
   (B) DEMONSTRABLE REDUCTION IN FARE EVASION THROUGH ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS
 AND IMPROVED FARE COLLECTION SYSTEMS;
   (C)  IMPLEMENTATION  OF  SPECIFIC  CRIME REDUCTION MEASURES TO ADDRESS
 SUBWAY PUSHINGS, VIOLENT ASSAULTS, AND OTHER CRIMINAL ACTIVITY OCCURRING
 ON TRANSIT PROPERTY; AND
   (D) EXPANDED EFFORTS TO PREVENT INJURIES  AND  FATALITIES  RELATED  TO
 SUICIDE, TRESPASSING, AND "SUBWAY SURFING."
   2. (A) NO STATE FUNDS SHALL BE APPROPRIATED OR RELEASED TO THE AUTHOR-
 ITY  OR  NEW  YORK  CITY TRANSIT AUTHORITY UNTIL AN INDEPENDENT FORENSIC
 AUDIT OF THE AUTHORITY'S FINANCES IS CONDUCTED AND COMPLETED BY AN INDE-
 PENDENT AUDITOR UNAFFILIATED WITH THE AGENCY OR ITS SUBSIDIARIES.
   (B) SUCH AUDIT SHALL  ASSESS  FINANCIAL  MANAGEMENT,  SECURITY-RELATED
 EXPENDITURES,  FARE  EVASION LOSS ESTIMATES, AND THE ALLOCATION OF STATE
 AND FEDERAL FUNDS FOR SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS.
   (C) THE INDEPENDENT AUDITOR SHALL PROVIDE A PUBLIC REPORT OF FINDINGS,
 AND THE AUTHORITY SHALL BE REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT ALL RECOMMENDATIONS  TO
 ADDRESS   FINANCIAL   MISMANAGEMENT,  INEFFICIENCIES,  AND  DEFICIENCIES
 RELATED TO TRANSIT SECURITY.
   3. (A) THE AUTHORITY AND NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT AUTHORITY SHALL  SUBMIT
 COMPLIANCE  REPORTS DETAILING PROGRESS ON SAFETY AND SECURITY BENCHMARKS
 TO THE GOVERNOR, THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, THE  SPEAKER  OF
 THE ASSEMBLY, AND THE MINORITY LEADERS OF THE SENATE AND THE ASSEMBLY ON
 A QUARTERLY BASIS.
   (B) A JOINT LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE SHALL BE EMPOWERED TO REVIEW COMPLI-
 ANCE  AND  RECOMMEND  CONTINUATION  OR  REPEAL OF THE FUNDING SUSPENSION
 BASED ON DEMONSTRATED IMPROVEMENTS.
   § 4. This act shall take effect immediately and shall  expire  and  be
 deemed  repealed upon verified and satisfactory compliance by the metro-
 politan transportation authority with the provisions of  section  1279-m
 of  the  public  authorities  law pursuant to section three of this act;
 provided that the chair of  the  metropolitan  transportation  authority
 shall  notify  the  legislative bill drafting commission upon the occur-
 rence of the completion of the comprehensive plan and the forensic audit
 pursuant to section 1279-m of the public authorities law provided for in
 section three of this act in order that the commission may  maintain  an
 accurate and timely effective data base of the official text of the laws
 of  the  state of New York in furtherance of effectuating the provisions
 of section 44 of the legislative law and  section  70-b  of  the  public
 officers law.