Reinvent Albany Urges Governor to Veto Bus Lane Enforcement Carve-Out for MTA Workers
TITLE OF BILL
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to an affirmative defense for bus lane restrictions in New York city.
STATEMENT OF OPPOSITION
Reinvent Albany opposes this bill because it is micro-management by the Legislature and interferes with the ability of the City of New York and MTA to keep buses from being delayed by vehicles in bus lanes. This bill is bad policy and bad governance. It is not the role of the Legislature to manage New York City bus lanes and be involved in the day-to-day operations of MTA buses.
The bill allows MTA workers to cite being on the clock and in an agency vehicle to defend themselves from prosecutions for parking violations. While this may superficially seem reasonable – “they’re just doing their jobs” – we believe it increases the risk that MTA workers will illegally use agency vehicles to break the law, as has been seen countless times with congestion pricing and parking placards. The MTA should have the power to make its own decisions about enforcement on a case-by-case basis, rather than having to follow an overly complicated set of carve-outs prescribed by the Legislature.
We urge the Governor to VETO this bill.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS
Section 1 adds a new subdivision (o) to Vehicle and Traffic Law §1111-c stating that MTA workers prosecuted for bus lane violations may cite being on the clock and in an agency vehicle as an affirmative defense.
Section 2 states that the bill takes effect immediately.