N.Y.
Public Authorities Law Section 1266
Special powers of the authority
1.
The authority may acquire, by purchase, gift, grant, transfer, contract or lease, any transportation facility other than a transit facility or, subject to subdivision two of this section or any transportation facility constituting a transit facility, wholly or partially within the metropolitan commuter transportation district, or any part thereof, or the use thereof, and may enter into any joint service arrangements as hereinafter provided. Any such acquisition or joint service arrangement shall be authorized only by resolution of the authority approved by not less than a majority vote of the whole number of members of the authority then in office, except that in the event of a tie vote the chairman shall cast one additional vote.2.
The authority may on such terms and conditions as the authority may determine necessary, convenient or desirable itself plan, design, acquire, establish, construct, effectuate, operate, maintain, renovate, improve, extend, rehabilitate or repair (a) any transportation facility other than a transit project, or(b)
upon the request of the New York city transit authority, and upon such terms and conditions as shall be agreed to by the authority or any transportation facility constituting a transit facility (a “transportation assistance project”), or may provide for such planning, design, acquisition, establishment, construction, effectuation, operation, maintenance, renovation, improvement, extension, rehabilitation or repair by contract, lease or other arrangement on such terms as the authority may deem necessary, convenient or desirable with any person, including but not limited to any common carrier or freight forwarder, the state, any state agency, the federal government, any other state or agency or instrumentality thereof, any public authority of this or any other state, the port of New York authority or any political subdivision or municipality of the state. In connection with the operation of any transportation facility, the authority may plan, design, acquire, establish, construct, effectuate, operate, maintain, renovate, improve, extend or repair or may provide by contract, lease or other arrangement for the planning, design, acquisition, establishment, construction, effectuation, operation, maintenance, renovation, improvement, extension or repair of any related services and activities it deems necessary, convenient or desirable, including but not limited to the transportation and storage of freight and the United States mail, feeder and connecting transportation, parking areas, transportation centers, stations and related facilities. Upon the completion of any such transportation assistance project or any part thereof or the termination of any contract, lease or other arrangement relating to such transportation assistance project, the authority shall cause the same to be transferred, leased or subleased to the New York city transit authority or its designated subsidiary, as appropriate, with or without consideration.3.
The authority may establish, levy and collect or cause to be established, levied and collected and, in the case of a joint service arrangement, join with others in the establishment, levy and collection of such fares, tolls, rentals, rates, charges and other fees as it may deem necessary, convenient or desirable for the use and operation of any transportation facility and related services operated by the authority or by a subsidiary corporation of the authority or under contract, lease or other arrangement, including joint service arrangements, with the authority. Any such fares, tolls, rentals, rates, charges or other fees for the transportation of passengers shall be established and changed only if approved by resolution of the authority adopted by not less than a majority vote of the whole number of members of the authority then in office, with the chairman having one additional vote in the event of a tie vote, and only after a public hearing, provided however, that fares, tolls, rentals, rates, charges or other fees for the transportation of passengers on any transportation facility which are in effect at the time that the then owner of such transportation facility becomes a subsidiary corporation of the authority or at the time that operation of such transportation facility is commenced by the authority or is commenced under contract, lease or other arrangement, including joint service arrangements, with the authority may be continued in effect without such a hearing. Such fares, tolls, rentals, rates, charges and other fees shall be established as may in the judgment of the authority be necessary to maintain the combined operations of the authority and its subsidiary corporations on a self-sustaining basis. The said operations shall be deemed to be on a self-sustaining basis as required by this title, when the authority is able to pay or cause to be paid from revenue and any other funds or property actually available to the authority and its subsidiary corporations (a) as the same shall become due, the principal of and interest on the bonds and notes and other obligations of the authority and of such subsidiary corporations, together with the maintenance of proper reserves therefor, (b) the cost and expense of keeping the properties and assets of the authority and its subsidiary corporations in good condition and repair, and(c)
the capital and operating expenses of the authority and its subsidiary corporations. The authority may contract with the holders of bonds and notes with respect to the exercise of the powers authorized by this section. No acts or activities taken or proposed to be taken by the authority or any subsidiary of the authority pursuant to the provisions of this subdivision shall be deemed to be “actions” for the purposes or within the meaning of article eight of the environmental conservation law. 3-a. In furtherance of the authority’s mandate to develop and implement a unified mass transportation policy for the metropolitan commuter transportation district and the exercise of its powers, including the power to issue notes, bonds and other obligations secured in whole or in part by the revenues of the authority and its subsidiaries, and New York city transit authority and its subsidiaries, the authority shall join with the New York city transit authority and its subsidiaries in connection with any change in the establishment, levy and collection of fares, tolls, rentals, rates, charges and other fees for the transportation of passengers on any transportation facilities operated by New York city transit authority and its subsidiaries. Such fares, tolls, rentals, charges and other fees on transit facilities shall be established in accordance with the requirements of sections twelve hundred five and twelve hundred seven-i of this article. * 4. The authority may establish and, in the case of joint service arrangements, join with others in the establishment of such schedules and standards of operations and such other rules and regulations including but not limited to rules and regulations governing the conduct and safety of the public as it may deem necessary, convenient or desirable for the use and operation of any transportation facility and related services operated by the authority or under contract, lease or other arrangement, including joint service arrangements, with the authority. Such rules and regulations governing the conduct and safety of the public shall be filed with the department of state in the manner provided by Executive Law § 102 (Filing and publication of codes, rules and regulations)section one hundred two of the executive law. In the case of any conflict between any such rule or regulation of the authority governing the conduct or the safety of the public and any local law, ordinance, rule or regulation, such rule or regulation of the authority shall prevail. Violation of any such rule or regulation of the authority governing the conduct or the safety of the public in or upon any facility of the authority shall constitute an offense and shall be punishable by a fine not exceeding fifty dollars or imprisonment for not more than thirty days or both or may be punishable by the imposition of a civil penalty by the transit adjudication bureau established pursuant to the provisions of title nine of this article. * NB Effective until January 1, 2025 * 4. The authority may establish and, in the case of joint service arrangements, join with others in the establishment of such schedules and standards of operations and such other rules and regulations including but not limited to rules and regulations governing the conduct and safety of the public as it may deem necessary, convenient or desirable for the use and operation of any transportation facility and related services operated by the authority or under contract, lease or other arrangement, including joint service arrangements, with the authority. Such rules and regulations governing the conduct and safety of the public shall be filed with the department of state in the manner provided by Executive Law § 102 (Filing and publication of codes, rules and regulations)section one hundred two of the executive law. In the case of any conflict between any such rule or regulation of the authority governing the conduct or the safety of the public and any local law, ordinance, rule or regulation, such rule or regulation of the authority shall prevail. Violation of any such rule or regulation of the authority or any of its subsidiaries governing the conduct or the safety of the public in or upon any facility of the authority or any of its subsidiaries shall constitute an offense and shall be punishable by a fine not exceeding fifty dollars or imprisonment for not more than thirty days or both or may be punishable by the imposition of a civil penalty by the transit adjudication bureau established pursuant to the provisions of title nine of this article, except that civil penalties relating to the payment of fares may be punishable by the imposition of a civil penalty not to exceed one hundred fifty dollars, provided that civil penalties relating to the payment of fares to the MTA bus company and the Metro-North railroad and Long Island rail road shall be in accordance with the conditions set forth in subdivisions eleven and twelve of § 1209-A (Transit adjudication bureau)section twelve hundred nine-a of this article, as applicable. * NB Effective January 1, 2025 5. The authority may acquire, hold, own, lease, establish, construct, effectuate, operate, maintain, renovate, improve, extend or repair any transportation facilities through, and cause any one or more of its powers, duties, functions or activities to be exercised or performed by, one or more wholly owned subsidiary corporations of the authority, or by New York city transit authority or any of its subsidiary corporations in the case of transit facilities and may transfer to or from any such corporations any moneys, real property or other property for any of the purposes of this title upon such terms and conditions as shall be agreed to and subject to such payment or repayment obligations as are required by law or by any agreement to which any of the affected entities is subject. The directors or members of each such subsidiary corporation of the authority corporation shall be the same persons holding the offices of members of the authority. The chairman of the board of each such subsidiary shall be the chairman of the authority, serving ex officio and, provided that there is an executive director of the metropolitan transportation authority, the executive director of such subsidiary shall be the executive director of the metropolitan transportation authority, serving ex officio. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the chairman shall be the chief executive officer of each such subsidiary and shall be responsible for the discharge of the executive and administrative functions and powers of each such subsidiary. The chairman and executive director, if any, shall be empowered to delegate his or her functions and powers to one or more officers or employees of each such subsidiary designated by him or her. Each such subsidiary corporation of the authority and any of its property, functions and activities shall have all of the privileges, immunities, tax exemptions and other exemptions of the authority and of the authority’s property, functions and activities. Each such subsidiary corporation shall be subject to the restrictions and limitations to which the authority may be subject. Each such subsidiary corporation of the authority shall be subject to suit in accordance with § 1276 (Actions against the authority)section twelve hundred seventy-six of this title. The employees of any such subsidiary corporation, except those who are also employees of the authority, shall not be deemed employees of the authority. If the authority shall determine that one or more of its subsidiary corporations should be in the form of a public benefit corporation, it shall create each such public benefit corporation by executing and filing with the secretary of state a certificate of incorporation, which may be amended from time to time by filing, which shall set forth the name of such public benefit subsidiary corporation, its duration, the location of its principal office, and any or all of the purposes of acquiring, owning, leasing, establishing, constructing, effectuating, operating, maintaining, renovating, improving, extending or repairing one or more facilities of the authority. Each such public benefit subsidiary corporation shall be a body politic and corporate and shall have all those powers vested in the authority by the provisions of this title which the authority shall determine to include in its certificate of incorporation except the power to contract indebtedness. Whenever any state, political subdivision, municipality, commission, agency, officer, department, board, division or person is authorized and empowered for any of the purposes of this title to co-operate and enter into agreements with the authority such state, political subdivision, municipality, commission, agency, officer, department, board, division or person shall have the same authorization and power for any of such purposes to co-operate and enter into agreements with a subsidiary corporation of the authority.6.
Each of the authority and its subsidiaries, and the New York city transit authority and its subsidiaries, in its own name or in the name of the state, may apply for and receive and accept grants of property, money and services and other assistance offered or made available to it by any person, government or agency, which it may use to meet capital or operating expenses and for any other use within the scope of its powers, and to negotiate for the same upon such terms and conditions as the respective authority may determine to be necessary, convenient or desirable. 6-a. Subject to the rights of the holders of any outstanding bonds, notes or other obligations of the authority, New York city transit authority and Triborough bridge and tunnel authority, and to facilitate the efficient financial management of the authority, its subsidiary corporations, New York city transit authority and its subsidiary corporations, and Triborough bridge and tunnel authority (the “affiliated entities”), the authority may, and may permit and direct any affiliated entity to, transfer revenues, subsidies and other monies or securities to one or more funds or accounts of another affiliated entity for use by such other affiliated entity, provided at the time of such transfer it is reasonably anticipated that the monies and securities so transferred will be reimbursed, repaid or otherwise provided for by the end of the next succeeding calendar year if reimbursement or repayment is required by law or by any agreement to which any of the affected affiliated entities is subject. Any revenues of an affiliated entity that are transferred to another affiliated entity, which transfer was not authorized by a provision of law other than this subdivision, shall be considered to be required to be repaid to the affiliated entity which was the source of such revenues by the end of the next succeeding calendar year following such transfer.7.
The authority may lease railroad cars for use in its passenger service pursuant to the provisions of chapter six hundred thirty-eight of the laws of nineteen hundred fifty-nine.8.
The authority may do all things it deems necessary, convenient or desirable to manage, control and direct the maintenance and operation of transportation facilities, equipment or real property operated by or under contract, lease or other arrangement with the authority and its subsidiaries, and New York city transit authority and its subsidiaries. Except as hereinafter specially provided, no municipality or political subdivision, including but not limited to a county, city, village, town or school or other district shall have jurisdiction over any facilities of the authority and its subsidiaries, and New York city transit authority and its subsidiaries, or any of their activities or operations. The local laws, resolutions, ordinances, rules and regulations of a municipality or political subdivision, heretofore or hereafter adopted, conflicting with this title or any rule or regulation of the authority or its subsidiaries, or New York city transit authority or its subsidiaries, shall not be applicable to the activities or operations of the authority and its subsidiaries, and New York city transit authority, or the facilities of the authority and its subsidiaries, and New York city transit authority and its subsidiaries, except such facilities that are devoted to purposes other than transportation or transit purposes. Each municipality or political subdivision, including but not limited to a county, city, village, town or district in which any facilities of the authority or its subsidiaries, or New York city transit authority or its subsidiaries are located shall provide for such facilities police, fire and health protection services of the same character and to the same extent as those provided for residents of such municipality or political subdivision. The jurisdiction, supervision, powers and duties of the department of transportation of the state under the transportation law shall not extend to the authority in the exercise of any of its powers under this title. The authority may agree with such department for the execution by such department of any grade crossing elimination project or any grade crossing separation reconstruction project along any railroad facility operated by the authority or by one of its subsidiary corporations or under contract, lease or other arrangement with the authority. Any such project shall be executed as provided in article ten of the transportation law and the railroad law, respectively, and the costs of any such project shall be borne as provided in such laws, except that the authority’s share of such costs shall be borne by the state.9.
Upon approval by the commissioner of transportation of the state of New York of detailed plans and specifications, which approval may be based upon considerations of relative need and the timing of construction, the authority is authorized to design, construct, maintain, operate, improve and reconstruct a highway bridge crossing Long Island sound, as follows:(a)
Upon (i) the enactment by the state of Connecticut of legislation having like effect as the provisions of this paragraph and the granting of the consent of the congress of the United States of America to the interstate compact thereby created, and(ii)
in conformity with recommendations of the New York-Connecticut bi-state bridge study commission, the authority is authorized, in cooperation with any duly designated agency or agencies of the state of Connecticut, to design, construct, maintain, operate, improve and reconstruct a highway bridge crossing Long Island sound from a point in the vicinity of the city of Bridgeport in the state of Connecticut to a point in the vicinity of the village of Port Jefferson in the state of New York, together with approaches to such bridge; and to contract from time to time with such agency or agencies of the state of Connecticut with respect to all matters affecting these authorizations, including, without limitation, the sharing of all capital, operational and maintenance expense (except that the capital expense of the original construction of such bridge, other than the expense of acquiring the needed real property, shall be in the ratio of fifty per-centum for the authority and fifty per-centum for such agency or agencies of the state of Connecticut), the manner and by whom the work of design, construction, reconstruction, improvement, maintenance and operation is to be performed or contracted to others for performance, the tolls, fees and other charges to be imposed from time to time for the use of such bridge, and the sharing of revenues derived from the imposition of such tolls, fees and charges (except that net revenues remaining after deduction of operational and maintenance expense of such bridge shall be in the ratio of fifty per-centum for the authority and fifty per-centum for the state of Connecticut or for such agency or agencies of the state of Connecticut. Subject to the limitations imposed upon the authority by the provisions of the said contracts, that portion of the said bridge and its approaches situate and lying within the territorial boundaries of the state of New York shall be deemed a “transportation facility” of the authority for all the purposes of this title, but tolls, fees and other charges imposed for the use of such bridge shall not be deemed to have been imposed “for the transportation of passengers” within the intendment of subdivision three of this section.(b)
If funds are made available by the authority for the payment of the cost and expense of the acquisition thereof, the commissioner of transportation of the state of New York, when requested by the authority, may acquire in the name of the state such real property lying within the territorial boundaries of the state as may be determined from time to time by the authority to be necessary, convenient or desirable to carry out the authorizations set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this subdivision, may remove the owner or occupant thereof where necessary and obtain possession and, when requested by the authority, may dispose of any real property so acquired, all according to the procedure provided in Highway Law § 30 (Acquisition by the state of property required for the construction and reconstruction of state highways and structures thereon)section thirty of the highway law. The authority shall have the right to possess and use for its corporate purposes all such real property so acquired, all according to the procedure provided in Highway Law § 30 (Acquisition by the state of property required for the construction and reconstruction of state highways and structures thereon)section thirty of the highway law. The authority shall have the right to possess and use for its corporate purposes all such real property so acquired. Claims for the value of the property appropriated and for legal damages caused by any such appropriation shall be adjusted and determined by the commissioner of transportation with the approval of the authority or by the court of claims as provided in Highway Law § 30 (Acquisition by the state of property required for the construction and reconstruction of state highways and structures thereon)section thirty of the highway law. When a claim has been filed with the court of claims, the claimant shall cause a copy of such claim to be served upon the authority and the authority shall have the right to be represented and heard before such court. All awards and judgments arising from such claims shall be paid out of moneys of the authority.(c)
The authority, acting independently or jointly or in cooperation with such agency or agencies of the state of Connecticut, may also apply for and accept, upon condition or otherwise, from the duly authorized agencies of the federal government, and of the governments of the states of Connecticut and New York, such underwater and overwater grants of real property, licenses or permits as shall be necessary, convenient or desirable to carry out the authorizations set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this subdivision.(d)
The provisions of chapter four hundred forty-two of the laws of nineteen hundred sixty-five (and of any agreement entered into in pursuance thereof) relating to the repayment of a loan made by the state to the authority for the purchase of the Long Island railroad shall be inapplicable to (i) the construction of such bridges and their approaches, (ii) bonds, notes or other obligations of the authority issued for or in connection with the financing of the cost of design, construction and reconstruction of such bridges and their approaches, or the proceeds realized upon such issuance; and(iii)
revenues derived from the investment of such proceeds or of any part thereof, and from the imposition of tolls, fees or other charges for the use of such bridges.10.
Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law, general, special or local, or of any agreement entered into in pursuance thereof, relating to the repayment of any loan or advance made by the state to the authority or to the New York city transit authority, neither the authority nor the New York city transit authority shall be required to repay any such loan or advance heretofore made from or by reason of the issuance of bonds or notes of either of them or from the proceeds realized upon such issuance or from any other funds received by either of them from any source whatever in aid or assistance of the project or projects for the financing of which such bonds or notes are issued.11.
No project to be constructed upon real property theretofore used for a transportation purpose, or on an insubstantial addition to such property contiguous thereto, which will not change in a material respect the general character of such prior transportation use, nor any acts or activities in connection with such project, shall be subject to the provisions of article eight, nineteen, twenty-four or twenty-five of the environmental conservation law, or to any local law or ordinance adopted pursuant to any such article. Nor shall any acts or activities taken or proposed to be taken by the authority or by any other person or entity, public or private, in connection with the planning, design, acquisition, improvement, construction, reconstruction or rehabilitation of a transportation facility, other than a marine or aviation facility, be subject to the provisions of article eight of the environmental conservation law, or to any local law or ordinance adopted pursuant to any such article if such acts or activities require the preparation of a statement under or pursuant to any federal law or regulation as to the environmental impact thereof.12.
The authority may, upon suitable notice to and an offer to consult with an officer designated by the city of New York, occupy the streets of the city of New York for the purpose of doing any work over or under the same in connection with the improvement, construction, reconstruction or rehabilitation of a transportation facility without the consent of or payment to such city. * 12-a.(a)
Whenever the authority determines in consultation with the city of New York that it is necessary to obtain the temporary or permanent use, occupancy, control or possession of vacant or undeveloped or underutilized but replaceable real property, or any interest therein, or subsurface real property or any interest therein then owned by the city of New York for a project in the two thousand fifteen to two thousand nineteen or the two thousand twenty to two thousand twenty-four approved capital programs to (i) install one or more elevators to make one or more subway stations more accessible, (ii) construct or reconstruct an electrical substation to increase available power to the subway system to expand passenger capacity or reliability, or(iii)
in connection with the capital project to construct four commuter railroad passengers stations in the borough of the Bronx known as Penn Station access, the authority upon approval by the board of the metropolitan transportation authority and upon suitable notice and with the consent of the city of New York may cause the title to such real property, or any interest therein, to be transferred to the authority by adding it to the agreement of lease dated June first, nineteen hundred fifty-three, as amended, renewed and supplemented, authorized by § 1203 (Transfer of transit facilities by the city to the authority)section twelve hundred three of this article, or may itself acquire title to such property from the city of New York, and any such transfer or acquisition of real property shall be subject to the provisions of subdivision five of § 1266-C (Transit projects)section twelve hundred sixty-six-c of this title. Nothing in this subdivision shall be deemed to authorize any temporary or permanent transfer or acquisition of real property, or interest therein, that is dedicated parkland without separate legislative approval of such alienation.(b)
(i) Upon the execution of any transfer or acquisition pursuant to this subdivision, which shall be final upon the approval by the board of the metropolitan transportation authority and consent of the city of New York, the fair market value shall be determined pursuant to this paragraph. The authority shall make a written offer to pay to the city of New York the fair market value of the authority’s use, occupancy, control, possession or acquisition of such property. The offer by the authority shall be based on an appraisal of the value of such property and a copy of such appraisal shall be included with the offer. Such appraisal shall be done by an independent New York state licensed or certified appraiser, who may not be employed by the authority, selected at random from a panel of appraisers maintained by it for such purpose. Such appraisal and a second appraisal, if required pursuant to subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, shall consider only the reasonably anticipated lawful use of the property and its zoning designation under the zoning resolution of the city of New York at the time the authority notified the city of New York of its determination to use, occupy, control, possess or acquire such property.(ii)
Within thirty days of receipt of the offer by the authority, the city of New York may accept it, agree with the authority on another amount, or request a second appraisal by an independent New York state licensed or certified appraiser, who may not be employed by the city of New York, selected at random by the city of New York from a panel of appraisers maintained by it for such purpose. Such second appraisal shall be completed within thirty days. If the second appraisal produces an estimate of the fair market value of the property that is greater than that of the first appraisal, the authority shall have ten days to increase its offer to such higher amount, otherwise the two appraisers shall reconcile their valuations and agree on a final valuation within ten days, which shall be an amount not less than the first appraisal nor greater than the second appraisal.(c)
Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to affect or limit the authority’s power under subdivision twelve of this section. * NB Repealed December 31, 2025 13. The authority and each of its subsidiary corporations shall place on each transformer and substation which contains polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) a symbol so indicating the presence of PCBs. Use of a PCB mark illustrated in the rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to the federal Toxic Substances Control Act shall constitute compliance with the provisions of this subdivision.14.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of law or the terms of any contract, the authority, in consultation with the Long Island Rail Road, shall establish and implement a no fare program for transportation on the Long Island Rail Road for police officers employed by the city of New York, county of Nassau, Nassau county villages and cities, county of Suffolk, Suffolk county villages and towns, the division of state police, the port authority of New York and New Jersey, the Metro-North Commuter Railroad Company, the New York city housing authority and the New York city transit authority. In establishing such program, which has as its goal increased protection and improved safety for its commuters, the authority and the Long Island Rail Road shall, among other things, consider:(a)
requiring police officers who ride without cost to register with the Long Island Rail Road as a condition of riding without cost;(b)
requiring such officers to indicate during such registration process their regular working hours and the Long Island Rail Road trains that such officers expect to ride; and(c)
periodically re-registering and re-validating such officers. The authority and the Long Island Rail Road shall also have the power to consider other matters necessary to carry out the goals and objectives of this section.15.
(a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of law or the terms of any contract, the authority, in consultation with the New York city transit authority, the Long Island Rail Road and the Metro-North Commuter Railroad Company, shall establish and implement a no fare program for transportation on New York city transit authority systems, the Long Island Rail Road and the Metro-North Commuter Railroad Company for individuals serving as personal care attendants accompanying an Americans With Disabilities Act paratransit eligible individual.(b)
In order to be eligible for such no fare program the personal care attendant must show his or her community based personal care attendant agency issued identification card.(c)
In order to be considered accompanying an Americans With Disabilities Act paratransit eligible individual the personal care attendant shall have the same origin and destination as such paratransit eligible individual.16.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the authority and any of its subsidiary corporations shall establish and implement a half fare rate program for persons with serious mental illness who are eligible to receive supplemental security income benefits as defined pursuant to title sixteen of the federal social security act and Social Services Law § 209 (Eligibility)section two hundred nine of the social services law.17.
Notwithstanding any conflicting provisions of general, special or local law, and pursuant to the authority’s 2000-2004 capital program plans approved by the metropolitan transportation authority capital program review board, the authority or any of its subsidiaries, the New York city transit authority or any of its subsidiaries, or Triborough bridge and tunnel authority, shall provide, from funds identified in such approved 2000-2004 capital program plans, up to twelve million dollars for the financing of a bus and heavy duty vehicles emission research and testing facility and related equipment located in the state of New York, whether within or outside of the transportation district, which facility shall be operated by the department of environmental conservation and shall be available for use on a non-exclusive basis by the authority and any of its subsidiaries, the New York city transit authority and any of its subsidiaries, and Triborough bridge and tunnel authority.18.
The authority shall conduct a campaign of public outreach to inform the public of the provisions pertaining to assault on employees described in subdivision eleven of section 120.05 of the penal law.19.
In connection with their lawful responsibilities or functions, the authority and its subsidiaries, including Metro-North Commuter Railroad, the Long Island Rail Road, MTA bus and the Staten Island rapid transit operating authority, the Triborough bridge and tunnel authority, and the New York city transit authority and its subsidiary the Manhattan and Bronx surface transit operating authority, are authorized to request, receive and review criminal history information through the division of criminal justice services with respect to any person applying for a safety sensitive position. When requested, such applicant shall submit to the authority or the requesting affiliate or subsidiary his or her fingerprints in such form and in such manner as specified by the division, for the purpose of conducting a criminal history search identifying criminal convictions and pending criminal charges and returning a report thereon in accordance with the procedures and requirements established by the division pursuant to the provisions of article thirty-five of the executive law, which shall include the payment of the reasonable prescribed processing fee for the cost of the division’s full search and retention procedures and a national criminal history record check. The authority or requesting affiliate or subsidiary shall submit such fingerprints and the processing fee to the division. The division shall forward to the authority or the requesting affiliate or subsidiary a report with respect to the applicant’s previous criminal history, if any, or a statement that the applicant has no previous criminal history according to its files. Fingerprints submitted to the division pursuant to this subdivision may also be submitted to the federal bureau of investigation for a national criminal history record check. If additional copies of fingerprints are required, the applicant shall furnish them upon request. Upon receipt of such criminal history information, the authority or the requesting affiliate or subsidiary shall provide such applicant with a copy of such criminal history information, together with a copy of article twenty-three-A of the correction law, and inform such applicant of his or her right to seek correction of any incorrect information contained in such criminal history information pursuant to regulations and procedures established by the division of criminal justice services. The authority or the requesting affiliate or subsidiary shall ensure that adequate notice be provided to such applicant regarding the fact that state and national criminal history record checks may be conducted. This provision shall not preclude or alter the process by which a municipal civil service commission obtains and provides background information pursuant to subdivision four of Civil Service Law § 50 (Examinations generally)section fifty of the civil service law relating to applicants for civil service appointments at the New York city transit authority and the Triborough bridge and tunnel authority.
Source:
Section 1266 — Special powers of the authority, https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/PBA/1266 (updated May 3, 2024; accessed Oct. 26, 2024).
