S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                          267
                              2015-2016 Regular Sessions
                                 I N  A S S E M B L Y
                                      (PREFILED)
                                    January 7, 2015
                                      ___________
       Introduced  by M. of A. ROZIC, KAVANAGH -- read once and referred to the
         Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions
       AN ACT to amend the public authorities law, in relation to  the  conduct
         of public hearings by the metropolitan transportation authority
         THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
    1    Section 1. Section 1263 of the public authorities law  is  amended  by
    2  adding a new subdivision 10 to read as follows:
    3    10.  WHERE  A  SUBSTANTIAL  NUMBER  OF  PERSONS ARE UNABLE TO ATTEND A
    4  PUBLIC HEARING AS THE  RESULT  OF  INSUFFICIENT  SEATING  CAPACITY,  ONE
    5  SUBSEQUENT, ADDITIONAL HEARING SHALL BE REQUIRED IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH
    6  PUBLIC  HEARING  REQUIREMENTS.  SUCH SUBSEQUENT HEARING SHALL BE HELD IN
    7  REASONABLE PROXIMITY TO THE  LOCATION  OF  THE  HEARING  WHICH  DID  NOT
    8  PROVIDE  ADEQUATE  PUBLIC  ACCOMMODATIONS. AN OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE OF THE
    9  AUTHORITY SHALL RECORD THE NAMES AND ADDRESSES OF ANY INTERESTED PERSONS
   10  WHO ARE UNABLE TO ENTER A HEARING ROOM DUE TO CAPACITY  LIMITATIONS  AND
   11  SHALL NOTIFY SUCH PERSONS BY MAIL OF THE DATE AND LOCATION OF THE SUBSE-
   12  QUENT  HEARING,  IN  ADDITION  TO ANY OTHER HEARING NOTICE REQUIREMENTS.
   13  WHERE THE AUTHORITY DETERMINES THAT EXTENSIVE PUBLIC INTEREST IS  ANTIC-
   14  IPATED  REGARDING THE ISSUE BEING ADDRESSED, A REQUIRED HEARING SHALL BE
   15  HELD IN A VENUE DESIGNED TO ACCOMMODATE SUCH PUBLIC  PARTICIPATION.  THE
   16  AUTHORITY  SHALL  PRESUME THAT THERE IS A SUBSTANTIAL PUBLIC INTEREST IN
   17  FARE INCREASES OR SERVICE REDUCTIONS. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS  SUBDIVI-
   18  SION, "SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER" SHALL BE INTERPRETED TO MEAN MORE THAN SEVEN-
   19  TY-FIVE PERSONS.
   20    S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD00407-01-5