NY State Senate Bill 2025-S7679

Senate Bill S7679

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Establishes the 'R.I.D.E.R Rider Interests Deserve Empowering Representation' Act; relates to the powers and duties of the citizens advisory committee of the MTA

download bill text pdf

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Transportation Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Apr 29, 2025	referred to transportation

2025-S7679 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A8169
Current Committee:: Senate Transportation
Law Section:: Public Authorities Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §§1204-e, 1266-d, 1266-e & 1266-i, Pub Auth L

2025-S7679 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Relates to the powers and duties of the citizens advisory committee of the MTA and membership on the Long Island Rail Road commuter council, the Metro-North railroad commuter council, and the New York city transit riders council.

2025-S7679 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S7679

SPONSOR: GOUNARDES
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the public authorities law, in relation to membership on
the Long Island rail road commuter council, the Metro-North railroad
commuter council, and the New York city transit riders council, and in
relation to the powers and duties of the permanent citizens advisory
committee

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

To update the authorizing statutes for the New York City Transit Riders
Council, the Long Island Railroad Commuter Council, the Metro-North
Railroad Commuter Council, and the Permanent Citizens Advisory Commit-
tee, and to facilitate the process of appointing individuals to such
councils

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section one of this bill names it the Riders Interests Deserve Empower-

ing Representation (RIDER) Act.

Section two of this bill amends subdivision 1 of section 1204-e of
Public Authorities Law (PAL) to change the name of the New York city
transit authority advisory council to the "New York city transit riders
council" in order to conform the name of the council to the one used on
official documents.

This section then amends subdivision 2 of section 1204-e of PAL to allow
local elected officials to make recommendations for appointments to the
council rather requiring exactly five recommendations from the President
of the New York City Council and five from each of the borough presi-
dents of New York City. The local elected officials would still be
consulting with the applicable borough president when making their
recommendation to the Governor for such appointments. Furthermore, this
bill assures even geographic representation on the NYC Transit Riders
Council by requiring that each borough have at least one representative
on the council.

This new, more streamlined appointment process would mirror one that
already exists for the Metro-North Railroad Commuter Council and which
has successfully resulted in seats being filled more quickly so that
large transit service areas do not go unrepresented for extended periods
of time.

Section three of this bill amends section 1266-d of PAL to allow local
elected officials to work with the Nassau and Suffolk county executives
as well as the Queens and Brooklyn borough presidents in order to make
recommendations for appointments to the Long Island Railroad Commuter
Council, rather than requiring a specific number of recommendations from
just the county executives and borough presidents. This new, more
streamlined appointment process would mirror one that already exists for
the Metro-North Railroad Commuter Council and which has successfully
resulted in seats being filled more quickly so that large transit
service areas do not go unrepresented for extended periods of time. This
section also conforms the name of the LIRR Commuter Council to the name
used on official documents.
Section four of this bill amends section 1266-e of PAL to include the
future Penn Access line to the jurisdiction of the Metro-North Railroad
Commuter Council and conform the name of the council to the one used on
official documents.

Section five of this bill amends section 1266-i of PAL to more clearly
define the role of the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA,
which is the coordinating body for the NYC Transit Riders Council, LIRR
Commuter Council, and the Metro-North Railroad Commuter Council, and to
allow for interim appointments in order to ensure that vacancies on the
councils do not result in areas of the MTA service territory going
unrepresented for extended periods of time.

Section six of this bill sets the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

The Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA, PCAC, was created
by the legislature in 1981 to serve as the official voice for MTA
riders. The' council is composed of members from the New York City Tran-
sit Riders Council, Long Island Rail Road Commuter Council, and Metro-
North Railroad Commuter Council. Each council elects one non-voting
member to the MTA Board.

For nearly a half century, the councils, its non-voting representatives
on the MTA Board, and PCAC staff, have advocated for riders across the
MTA service territory, fighting to keep transit affordable, allow all
riders to access the fastest transit regardless of income or physical
ability, and ensure that the MTA is adequately funded. PCAC exists to
give riders a voice, holding the MTA accountable to its users by holding
regular public Meetings, providing public commentary, undertaking
research projects, advocating for legislation that would benefit riders,
and providing informed and timely advice on service, capital invest-
ments, financing, communications, system management, and more.

Unfortunately, a large number of vacancies on PCAC and its three coun-
cils threatens this critical work. A quarter of the seats on the New
York City Transit Riders Council, eight of the 13 seats on the LIRR
Commuter Council, and nearly half of the seats on the Metro-North Rail-
road Commuter Council are vacant. This large number of vacancies, 17 of
the 40 total seats as of January 2025, make it challenging for the coun-
cils to achieve a quorum, thereby barring the councils from conducting
basic functions such as approving minutes or passing resolutions.

This legislation will address vacancies and enhance local control by
broadening the set of elected officials who are able to recommend
appointees to the Executive's appointments office, while ensuring
collaboration with countywide elected officials. It would duplicate a
successful process that is already in place for the Metro-North Railroad
Commuter Council.

This legislation will also allow for PCAC's chair to make interim
appointments to the rider councils, ensuring that no MTA rider voice
goes unrepresented while the oftentimes lengthy formal appointments
process takes place. Finally, the legislation conforms the names of the
councils used in statute with those used on official council documents
and expands the jurisdiction of the Metro-North Railroad Commuter Coun-
cil to include the Hell Gate Line.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

None

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediate

2025-S7679 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7679
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              April 29, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by Sen. GOUNARDES -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation
 
 AN ACT to amend the public authorities law, in relation to membership on
   the  Long  Island rail road commuter council, the Metro-North railroad
   commuter council, and the New York city transit riders council, and in
   relation to the powers and duties of the permanent  citizens  advisory
   committee
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the  "R.I.D.E.R
 'Rider Interests Deserve Empowering Representation' Act".
   § 2. The section heading and subdivisions 1 and 2 of section 1204-e of
 the  public authorities law, the section heading as added by chapter 483
 of the laws of 1981 and as renumbered by section 2 of part H of  chapter
 25  of  the laws of 2009, subdivisions 1 and 2 as amended by chapter 125
 of the laws of 2022, are amended to read as follows:
   New York city transit [authority advisory] RIDERS council. 1. There is
 hereby created the New York city transit authority advisory RIDERS coun-
 cil, to study,  investigate,  monitor,  and  make  recommendations  with
 respect  to  the  maintenance and operation of the New York city transit
 authority, its subsidiaries and the Staten Island rapid transit  operat-
 ing  authority.  Such council shall study and investigate all aspects of
 the day to day operations of such authority, its  subsidiaries  and  the
 Staten  Island rapid transit operating authority, monitor their perform-
 ance and recommend changes to improve the efficiency  of  the  operation
 thereof.  Such council shall study and make recommendations in regard to
 improving bicycle and pedestrian access on  trains  and  buses,  and  at
 bridges,  stations  and  other facilities operated by the authority, its
 affiliates and subsidiaries and the Staten Island rapid transit  operat-
 ing authority and submit such recommendations to the metropolitan trans-

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD11632-04-5
 S. 7679                             2

 
 portation authority on or before June first, two thousand twenty-two and
 every five years thereafter.
   2.  Such  council shall consist of sixteen members who shall be commu-
 ters who regularly use the transportation services of such  authorities.
 [Six] OF THE SIXTEEN MEMBERS, AT LEAST ONE MEMBER SHALL BE A RESIDENT OF
 BRONX  COUNTY,  AT LEAST ONE MEMBER SHALL BE A RESIDENT OF KINGS COUNTY,
 AT LEAST ONE MEMBER SHALL BE A RESIDENT OF NEW YORK COUNTY, AT LEAST ONE
 MEMBER SHALL BE A RESIDENT OF RICHMOND COUNTY, AND AT LEAST  ONE  MEMBER
 SHALL BE A RESIDENT OF QUEENS COUNTY. FIVE of such SIXTEEN members shall
 be appointed by the governor upon the recommendation of the mayor of the
 city  of New York[; five upon the recommendation of the president of the
 city council of the city of New York; and five other  members  appointed
 upon  the  recommendation  one  by each of the borough presidents of the
 boroughs of the city of New York]. ELEVEN OF SUCH SIXTEEN MEMBERS  SHALL
 BE  APPOINTED  BY  THE GOVERNOR UPON THE RECOMMENDATION OF LOCAL ELECTED
 OFFICIALS IN CONSULTATION WITH THE BOROUGH  PRESIDENT  OF  SUCH  BOROUGH
 WHERE THE MEMBER RESIDES. Provided, however, that one member recommended
 by the mayor of New York shall have a demonstrated expertise or interest
 in  the  promotion  and  development  of improved bicycle and pedestrian
 access at bridges, stations and other facilities operated by the  metro-
 politan  transportation  authority, as created by section twelve hundred
 sixty-three of this article, and such authority's affiliates and subsid-
 iaries. The [chairman] CHAIRPERSON shall be a  member  selected  by  the
 membership  of the committee. Each of the members shall serve for a term
 of two years, provided, however, that of  the  first  appointments,  two
 appointed  upon  the  recommendation of the mayor and two appointed upon
 the recommendation of the president of the city council shall serve  for
 a term of one year. Vacancies occurring other than by expiration of term
 shall  be filled in the same manner as the original appointments for the
 balance of the unexpired term BUT SHALL BE SUBJECT TO THE PROVISIONS  OF
 SUBDIVISION FOUR OF SECTION TWELVE HUNDRED SIXTY-SIX-I OF THIS ARTICLE.
   § 3. The section heading and subdivisions 1 and 2 of section 1266-d of
 the  public authorities law, the section heading as added by chapter 482
 of the laws of 1981, subdivision 1 as amended by chapter 125 of the laws
 of 2022, and subdivision 2 as amended by chapter  802  of  the  laws  of
 2021, are amended to read as follows:
   Long Island rail road [commuter's] COMMUTER council. 1. There is here-
 by  created  the Long Island rail road [commuter's] COMMUTER council, to
 study, investigate, monitor and make recommendations with respect to the
 maintenance and operation of the Long Island  rail  road.  Such  council
 shall  study and investigate all aspects of the day to day operations of
 such railroad, monitor its performance and recommend changes to  improve
 the  efficiency  of  the operation thereof. Such council shall study and
 make recommendations in  regard  to  improving  bicycle  and  pedestrian
 access  at  bridges,  stations and other facilities operated by the Long
 Island Railroad and submit  such  recommendations  to  the  metropolitan
 transportation  authority  on or before June first, two thousand twenty-
 two and every five years thereafter.
   2. Such council shall consist of thirteen members who shall be  commu-
 ters who regularly use the transportation services of such railroad, and
 who  shall  be  residents of Nassau, Suffolk, Queens or [Brooklyn] KINGS
 county. Members shall be appointed by the governor upon the  recommenda-
 tion  of  LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS IN CONSULTATION WITH the county execu-
 tive of [each such] NASSAU OR SUFFOLK county,  provided,  however,  that
 such  members shall be chosen from a list of ten names submitted by each
 such county executive and provided further however that no more than six
 S. 7679                             3
 
 members of such council  shall  be  residents  of  either  such  county.
 Provided, however, that one member shall be appointed on the recommenda-
 tion of A LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIAL IN CONSULTATION WITH the borough presi-
 dent  of  Queens and one member shall be appointed on the recommendation
 of A LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIAL IN CONSULTATION WITH the  borough  president
 of  Brooklyn.  Provided,  however, that one member [shall be], appointed
 [who has a] UPON THE RECOMMENDATION  OF  A  LOCAL  ELECTED  OFFICIAL  IN
 CONSULTATION  WITH  THE  COUNTY  EXECUTIVE  OR BOROUGH PRESIDENT OF SUCH
 COUNTY OR BOROUGH WHERE THE  MEMBER  RESIDES,  SHALL  HAVE  demonstrated
 expertise or interest in the promotion and development of improved bicy-
 cle  and  pedestrian  access  at  bridges, stations and other facilities
 operated by the authority and its affiliates and subsidiaries. Vacancies
 occurring in the membership of the council shall be filled in  the  same
 manner as original appointments, provided, however, that IF THE APPOINT-
 MENT PRIOR TO THE VACANCY WAS MADE BY THE NASSAU OR SUFFOLK COUNTY EXEC-
 UTIVE, such vacancy shall be filled from a list of three names submitted
 by each such county executive, AND PROVIDED, FURTHER, THAT SUCH APPOINT-
 MENTS  SHALL BE SUBJECT TO THE PROVISIONS OF SUBDIVISION FOUR OF SECTION
 TWELVE HUNDRED SIXTY-SIX-I OF THIS TITLE.
   § 4. The section heading and subdivisions 1 and 2 of section 1266-e of
 the public authorities law, the section heading as added by chapter  482
 of the laws of 1981, subdivision 1 as amended by chapter 125 of the laws
 of  2022,  and  subdivision  2  as amended by chapter 802 of the laws of
 2021, are amended to read as follows:
   Metro-North [rail] RAILROAD  commuter  council.  1.  There  is  hereby
 created  the  Metro-North  [rail]  RAILROAD  commuter  council to study,
 investigate, monitor and make recommendations with respect to the  main-
 tenance  and operation of those portions of, if any, the Hudson, Harlem,
 New Haven, PENN ACCESS, Pascack Valley and Port Jervis commuter railroad
 lines  remaining  within  the   metropolitan   commuter   transportation
 district.  Such  council  shall study and investigate all aspects of the
 day to day operation of such railroad lines, monitor  their  performance
 and  recommend changes to improve the efficiency of the operation there-
 of. Such council shall study  and  make  recommendations  in  regard  to
 improving  bicycle  and pedestrian access at bridges, stations and other
 facilities operated by such railroad lines and submit  such  recommenda-
 tions  to  the  metropolitan  transportation authority on or before June
 first, two thousand twenty-two and every five years thereafter.
   2. Such council shall consist of twelve members and shall be commuters
 who regularly use the transportation services of such railroad lines. At
 least five of such members shall be residents of the county of Westches-
 ter. Of the other seven members, at least one of such members shall be a
 resident of each of the counties of Rockland, Putnam,  Dutchess,  Orange
 and  Bronx,  provided that such county has not withdrawn from the metro-
 politan commuter transportation  district  pursuant  to  section  twelve
 hundred  seventy-nine-b of this title; provided further, should only the
 county of Putnam remain  in  the  metropolitan  commuter  transportation
 district then membership on such council shall consist of eight members,
 six  of  whom reside in the county of Westchester and two of whom reside
 in the county of Putnam. Members shall be appointed by the governor.  In
 making  such  appointments  the  governor shall consult with and solicit
 recommendations from local officials and to the extent possible  appoint
 members  who  represent  the  ridership of the several commuter railroad
 lines. Provided, however, that one member [shall be], appointed [who has
 a] UPON THE RECOMMENDATION OF A LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIAL WHERE THE  MEMBER
 RESIDES,  SHALL HAVE demonstrated expertise or interest in the promotion
 S. 7679                             4
 
 and development of improved bicycle and pedestrian  access  at  bridges,
 stations  and  other facilities operated by the authority and its affil-
 iates and subsidiaries. Vacancies occurring in  the  membership  of  the
 council  shall be filled in the same manner as original appointments BUT
 SHALL BE SUBJECT TO THE PROVISIONS OF SUBDIVISION FOUR OF SECTION TWELVE
 HUNDRED SIXTY-SIX-I OF THIS TITLE.
   § 5. Section 1266-i of the public authorities law, as added by section
 10 of part H of chapter 25 of the laws of 2009, is amended  to  read  as
 follows:
   § 1266-i. The permanent citizens advisory committee. 1. There is here-
 by  established  a permanent citizens advisory committee. The members of
 the committee shall consist of the following members:  the  Long  Island
 Rail Road [commuter's] COMMUTER council, the Metro-North RAILROAD commu-
 ter  council,  and the New York city transit [authority advisory] RIDERS
 council, as defined in section twelve hundred four-e of  this  [chapter]
 ARTICLE.
   2.  SUCH  COMMITTEE  SHALL SERVE AS A COORDINATING COUNCIL OF THE LONG
 ISLAND RAIL ROAD COMMUTER COUNCIL,  THE  METRO-NORTH  RAILROAD  COMMUTER
 COUNCIL,  AND  THE  NEW  YORK  CITY  TRANSIT RIDERS COUNCIL, PROVIDING A
 REGIONAL AND BALANCED PERSPECTIVE TO SUCH COUNCILS' WORK. SUCH COMMITTEE
 SHALL BE A SOURCE OF ADVICE TO THE AUTHORITY AND  ITS  SUBSIDIARIES  AND
 AFFILIATES  REGARDING  MATTERS OF FINANCE, OPERATIONS, MANAGEMENT, PLAN-
 NING, SERVICE ISSUES, AND  THE  CAPITAL  PROGRAM  PLANS  ESTABLISHED  IN
 SECTION  TWELVE  HUNDRED SIXTY-NINE-B OF THIS TITLE AS WELL AS ANY OTHER
 CAPITAL PLANS OF SUCH AUTHORITY. SUCH  COMMITTEE  SHALL  HAVE  THE  SAME
 ACCESS  TO  INFORMATION OF THE AUTHORITY AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES AND AFFIL-
 IATES AS THE LONG ISLAND RAIL ROAD  COMMUTER  COUNCIL,  THE  METRO-NORTH
 RAILROAD COMMUTER COUNCIL, AND THE NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT RIDERS COUNCIL.
   3.  THE  MEMBERS  OF  THE  LONG ISLAND RAIL ROAD COMMUTER COUNCIL, THE
 METRO-NORTH RAILROAD COMMUTER COUNCIL, AND THE  NEW  YORK  CITY  TRANSIT
 RIDERS  COUNCIL  SHALL  RECEIVE  NO  COMPENSATION FOR THEIR SERVICES BUT
 SHALL BE REIMBURSED FOR ACTUAL AND NECESSARY EXPENSES  INCURRED  IN  THE
 PERFORMANCE OF THEIR DUTIES.
   4.  APPOINTMENTS  TO  THE  LONG ISLAND RAIL ROAD COMMUTER COUNCIL, THE
 METRO-NORTH RAILROAD COMMUTER COUNCIL, AND THE  NEW  YORK  CITY  TRANSIT
 RIDERS  COUNCIL  SHALL  BE  MADE AS PRESCRIBED IN SECTION TWELVE HUNDRED
 SIXTY-SIX-D, TWELVE HUNDRED SIXTY-SIX-E, OR  TWELVE  HUNDRED  FOUR-E  OF
 THIS  ARTICLE,  RESPECTIVELY, EXCEPT THAT IF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MEMBERS
 HAVE NOT BEEN MADE BY AN ELECTED OFFICIAL ENDOWED WITH THE POWER TO MAKE
 SUCH RECOMMENDATION IN SUCH RESPECTIVE SECTIONS WITHIN NINETY DAYS OF  A
 VACANCY  ON  THE LONG ISLAND RAIL ROAD COMMUTER COUNCIL, THE METRO-NORTH
 RAILROAD COMMUTER COUNCIL, OR THE NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT RIDERS  COUNCIL,
 INTERIM  APPOINTMENTS  MAY BE MADE UPON THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE EXECU-
 TIVE COMMITTEE AND STAFF OF THE PERMANENT  CITIZENS  ADVISORY  COMMITTEE
 FOR  THE  BALANCE OF THE UNEXPIRED TERM. NOTICE OF SUCH INTERIM APPOINT-
 MENTS DESCRIBED HEREIN SHALL BE INCLUDED IN THE OFFICIAL MEETING MINUTES
 OF THE PERMANENT CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
   5. THE COMMITTEE SHALL ALSO HAVE EMPLOYEES WHO DO  NOT  SERVE  ON  THE
 COMMUTERS  AND  RIDERS  COUNCILS  DESCRIBED IN THIS SECTION, BUT WHO ARE
 EMPLOYED BY THE AUTHORITY TO SERVE THE COMMITTEE.  THE  AUTHORITY  SHALL
 PROVIDE  APPROPRIATE  FUNDING FOR SUCH EMPLOYEES WHO ARE SELECTED BY AND
 DEDICATED TO THE COMMITTEE, AND SHALL NOT WITHHOLD, WITHDRAW, REDUCE, OR
 TAKE ANY OTHER ACTION WHICH THREATENS OR APPEARS TO THREATEN FUNDING FOR
 SUCH EMPLOYEES DUE TO THE COMMITTEE AND ITS EMPLOYEES TAKING  EDITORIAL,
 GOVERNANCE,  AND/OR  PUBLIC  POLICY POSITIONS WHICH DIFFER FROM THOSE OF
 THE AUTHORITY.
 S. 7679                             5
 
   6. THE AUTHORITY SHALL PROVIDE ADEQUATE RESOURCES AND OTHER ASSISTANCE
 TO THE PERMANENT CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE, INCLUDING  ANY  ASSISTANCE
 AND  DATA  AS  WILL ENABLE IT TO PROPERLY CARRY OUT ITS ACTIVITIES UNDER
 ANY PROVISION OF THIS CHAPTER.
   7.  THE  PERMANENT  CITIZENS  ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND THE AUTHORITY MAY
 ENTER INTO AGREEMENTS WITH EACH OTHER TO FACILITATE  THE  PROVISIONS  OF
 THIS SECTION.
   § 6. This act shall take effect immediately.

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