S2109-2013 Actions

• Jan 10, 2013: REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION

S2109-2013 Memo

BILL NUMBER:S2109

TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the public authorities law and the
administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring
the metropolitan transportation authority to transfer any remaining
money on an expired pay-per-ride MetroCard to a new MetroCard, and
enacting certain other technical provisions

PURPOSE:  To ensure that riders of the MTA mass-transit system do not
forfeit pre-paid funds due to administrative decisions relating to the
expiration of said funds after a certain time period.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends section 1261 of the public authorities law by adding
a new subdivision, 11-a, which defines the meaning of "MetroCard" for
the purpose of Title 11.

Section 2 amends the public authorities law by adding a new section,
1266-j, that would require the MTA to transfer the balance of an
expired MetroCard to a new MetroCard regardless of the amount of time
that has elapsed since the initial expiration date of the card.

Section 3 amends the administrative code of the city of New York by
adding a new section, 20-706-a, that would require the MTA to transfer
the balance of an expired MetroCard to a new MetroCard regardless of
the amount of time that has elapsed since the initial expiration date
of the card.

Section 4 sets the effective date.

EXISTING LAW:  Currently, the MTA is empowered to establish the terms
and conditions for the use of a MetroCard, including the right to
receive a refund upon its expiration and the right to receive a free
transfer upon its use.

JUSTIFICATION:  Currently upon purchasing a pay-per-ride MetroCard,
the rider is given an expiration date that typically ranges anywhere
from six months to two years time in which they can use the card until
the balance they have pre-paid is spent. When the expiration date is
reached the rider then has two years within which they can transfer
the remaining balance of the expired card to a new MetroCard. The MTA
has decided administratively that after two years has passed, any
unclaimed balance will no longer be'refunded. Essentially the MTA is
taking money that the rider has paid and either forgotten about or
misplaced for a time, or could have been visiting an area the MTA
services and didn't return for some time only to find out that their
balance has been forfeited.  This bill would ensure that no rider
forfeits his or her money to the MTA regardless of the amount of time
that has passed since the initial MetroCard expires.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:  01/04/12 - referred to Transportation

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:  None to the State.

LOCAL FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:


EFFECTIVE DATE:  This act shall take effect immediately.

S2109-2013 Text

 S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 
 
                                         2109
 2013-2014 Regular Sessions
 I N  SENATE
 January 10, 2013
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  GOLDEN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
 printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation
 

AN ACT to amend the public authorities law and the  administrative  code
 of  the  city  of  New York, in relation to requiring the metropolitan
 transportation authority to transfer any remaining money on an expired
 pay-per-ride MetroCard to a new MetroCard, and enacting certain  other
 technical provisions
 

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

 

Section 1.

Section 1261 of the public authorities law  is  amended  by
 adding a new subdivision 11-a to read as follows:

 11-A. "METROCARD" SHALL MEAN ANY CARD WHETHER PAY-PER-RIDE OR UNLIMIT
 ED  RIDE,  SOLD  FOR TRAVEL ON THE NEW YORK CITY SUBWAY SYSTEM; NEW YORK
 CITY TRANSIT BUSES, INCLUDING ROUTES OPERATED BY OTHER  OPERATORS  UNDER
 CONTRACT  TO  THE  METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (MTA); MTA BUS,
 AND MTA LONG ISLAND BUS SYSTEMS; THE PATH SUBWAY SYSTEM;  THE  ROOSEVELT
 ISLAND TRAM; AIRTRAIN JFK; AND WESTCHESTER COUNTY BEE-LINE BUS SYSTEM ON
 WHICH  THE  CUSTOMER ELECTRONICALLY LOADS FARES WHETHER THE CARD IS SOLD
 BY THE METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY, ANY OF  SUCH  AUTHORITIES'
 AUTHORIZED  AGENTS,  NEIGHBORHOOD  MERCHANTS,  OR  PURCHASED THROUGH ANY
 EMPLOYER TRANSIT PROGRAMS.
 

S 2. The public authorities law is amended by  adding  a  new  section
 1266-j to read as follows:

 

S  1266-J.  EXPIRED PAY-PER-RIDE METROCARDS WITH UNUSED BALANCES.  THE
 METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (MTA) SHALL BE REQUIRED TO  TRANS
 FER  ANY  REMAINING  MONEY ON AN EXPIRED PAY-PER-RIDE METROCARD TO A NEW
 PAY-PER-RIDE METROCARD AS DEFINED UNDER SECTION TWELVE HUNDRED SIXTY-ONE
 OF THIS TITLE AT THE CUSTOMER'S REQUEST REGARDLESS OF THE AMOUNT OF TIME
 THAT HAS LAPSED SINCE THE INITIAL EXPIRATION DATE OF THE CARD.
 

S 3. The administrative code of the city of New  York  is  amended  by
 adding a new section 20-706.1 to read as follows:

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD01159-01-3
 
       S. 2109                             2
 

S  20-706.1 EXPIRED PAY-PER-RIDE METROCARDS WITH UNUSED BALANCES.  THE
 METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (MTA) SHALL BE REQUIRED TO  TRANS
 FER  ANY  REMAINING  MONEY ON AN EXPIRED PAY-PER-RIDE METROCARD TO A NEW
 CARD AT THE CUSTOMER'S REQUEST REGARDLESS OF THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT HAS
 LAPSED SINCE THE INITIAL EXPIRATION DATE OF THE CARD.
 

S 4. This act shall take effect immediately.

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