S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
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                                         4954

                              2011-2012 Regular Sessions

                                   I N  S E N A T E

                                      May 2, 2011
                                      ___________

       Introduced  by  Sen.  ALESI  -- 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
         public  notice  and hearing prior to any planned substantial change in
         service of the Rochester-Genesee regional transportation authority

         THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

    1    Section  1.  The  public  authorities  law  is amended by adding a new
    2  section 1299-hhh to read as follows:
    3    S 1299-HHH. PUBLIC HEARINGS AND NOTICE. 1.  FOR THE PURPOSES  OF  THIS
    4  SECTION,  THE TERM SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE IN SERVICE SHALL BE DEFINED AS ANY
    5  CHANGE IN FREQUENCY OF SERVICE  OR  CHANGE  IN  ROUTE,  OR  COMPLETE  OR
    6  PARTIAL CLOSING OF A PASSENGER STOP OR ROUTE.
    7    2. (A) A PUBLIC HEARING OR HEARINGS SHALL BE HELD AT LEAST THIRTY DAYS
    8  PRIOR  TO  ANY  SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE AT ONE OR MORE LOCATIONS CONVENIENTLY
    9  ACCESSIBLE TO THE PERSONS WHO  WOULD  BE  AFFECTED  BY  SUCH  CHANGE  IN
   10  SERVICE.
   11    (B)  AT LEAST THIRTY DAYS PRIOR TO THE PUBLIC HEARING OR HEARINGS, THE
   12  AUTHORITY SHALL GIVE NOTICE TO THE ELECTED TOWN BOARD MEMBERS OR  EQUIV-
   13  ALENT  IN  AREAS  AFFECTED  BY  ROUTE CHANGES AND SHALL PROVIDE DETAILED
   14  INFORMATION ON THE PROPOSED SERVICE CHANGES. IN ADDITION, THE  AUTHORITY
   15  SHALL DISPLAY POSTERS IN A FORM NOT SMALLER THAN ELEVEN INCHES BY SEVEN-
   16  TEEN INCHES ON BUSES AND AT BUS STOPS OPERATING ON THE AFFECTED ROUTE AT
   17  LEAST  THIRTY DAYS PRIOR TO THE PUBLIC HEARING OR HEARINGS. SUCH POSTERS
   18  SHALL DESCRIBE THE PROPOSED SERVICE CHANGE IN DETAIL AND  SHALL  PROVIDE
   19  THE  DATE, TIME AND LOCATION OF THE PUBLIC HEARING OR HEARINGS AND SHALL
   20  STATE THAT THE PROPOSED SERVICE CHANGE SHALL BE OPEN TO  DISCUSSION  AND
   21  THAT MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SHALL HAVE THE RIGHT TO SPEAK AT THE HEARING.
   22    (C) PUBLIC HEARING NOTICES SHALL ALSO BE PLACED AT THE CENTRAL LIBRARY
   23  OF  ROCHESTER AND MONROE COUNTY, AS WELL AS IN ANY PUBLIC LIBRARY IN ANY

        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD04751-02-1

 S. 4954                             2

    1  TOWN OR ON ANY ROUTE AFFECTED BY THE CHANGE, AND IN  THE  TOWN  OR  CITY
    2  HALL OF THE AREAS AFFECTED BY THE CHANGE.
    3    (D)  ALL  NOTICES  IN  THIS  SECTION SHALL BE IN ADDITION TO ANY OTHER
    4  NOTICES REQUIRED BY LAW.
    5    S 2. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day  after  it  shall
    6  have become a law.