Senate Bill S9586A

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9586
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              March 26, 2026
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  PARKER -- 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 requiring the
   New York city transit authority to have  at  least  one  conductor  on
   board
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1.  The legislature finds and declares that, the New York city
 transit authority, through its operation of the  New  York  city  subway
 system,  the  largest  public  transit system in the world, provides the
 primary means of commuting for many millions of New York  residents  and
 visitors every day of the week. With an estimated average of over 10,000
 passengers  loaded  onto  each  train during rush hours, the presence of
 trained New York city transit authority personnel, other than the  engi-
 neer, on each train is necessary and should always be required to ensure
 improved safety for passengers during emergencies, which may occur while
 in subway tunnels or traveling over bridges.
   The  legislature  further finds and declares that the tragic events of
 September 11, 2001, which launched the war of  terror  against  America,
 has  tremendously heightened the need to significantly increase security
 and safety for commuters on New  York  city  subway  trains.  Also,  the
 recent  conviction  of Zarein Ahmedzay, who was caught buying explosives
 and admitted to having planned an attack on the  New  York  city  subway
 system  makes it imperative that we recognize the role of conductors and
 other authority personnel assigned on passenger trains as first  respon-
 ders,  and  the  front  line defense to potentially save lives and limit
 casualties in the event of a terrorist attack.
   § 2. The public authorities law is amended by  adding  a  new  section
 1205-b to read as follows:
   §  1205-B.  CONDUCTOR  REQUIRED.  ANY  SUBWAY OR TRAIN OPERATED BY THE
 AUTHORITY FOR THE PURPOSE OF TRANSPORTING PASSENGERS SHALL HAVE AT LEAST
 ONE CONDUCTOR ON BOARD, EXCEPT WHERE IT IS CURRENTLY PERMISSABLE.    FOR
 THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE TERM "CONDUCTOR" SHALL MEAN THE PERSON
 OTHER  THAN  THE DRIVER, ENGINEER OR MOTORMAN PRIMARILY CHARGED WITH ALL
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD07106-02-6
 S. 9586                             2
 
 ASPECTS OF THE OPERATION OF THE RAILROAD LOCOMOTIVE,  SUBWAY  OR  TRAIN,
 WHO  SHALL ASSIST IN THE OPERATION OF THE TRAIN AND BE PRIMARILY RESPON-
 SIBLE FOR THE OPENING AND CLOSING OF THE DOORS AND OTHER SAFETY  ASPECTS
 OF  THE  TRAIN.    A  CONDUCTOR SHALL BE REQUIRED ON ANY SUBWAY OR TRAIN
 OPERATED BY THE AUTHORITY WHENEVER THE SUBWAY OR TRAIN HAS MORE THAN TWO
 CARS ATTACHED TO THE ENGINE THEREOF.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.