Bill Text: NY S01708 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Directs the metropolitan transportation authority to provide safety briefings to passengers aboard Metro-North trains, and train personnel in safety procedures.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-03 - REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION [S01708 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-S01708-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          1708

                               2023-2024 Regular Sessions

                    IN SENATE

                                    January 13, 2023
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  Sen.  COMRIE -- 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  a
          safety  briefing  of  Metro-North  commuter  railroad passengers to be
          conducted at certain times

          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 1279-j to read as follows:
     3    § 1279-j.  Safety  briefing  of  passengers  plan;  implementation  on
     4  Metro-North  commuter  railroad.  The authority is hereby authorized and
     5  directed to implement a safety briefing of  passengers  plan  not  later
     6  than January first, two thousand twenty-five, for the benefit of persons
     7  utilizing  transportation  and other related services of the Metro-North
     8  commuter railroad. Such program shall include, but not  be  limited  to,
     9  provisions for the following:
    10    1.  Before  initial  departure  of each train carrying passengers, and
    11  periodically thereafter, at the discretion of the authority at  stations
    12  where  the greatest number of passengers board the train, the conductor,
    13  or the conductor's designee, shall immediately communicate  live  and/or
    14  by recorded, visual and/or audio images:
    15    (a) Evacuation procedures;
    16    (b) Location and means for opening the passenger entry doors and emer-
    17  gency exits;
    18    (c) Location of first aid and survival equipment;
    19    (d) Location and operation of fire extinguishers.
    20    In the event of a disaster or emergency, the conductor, or the conduc-
    21  tor's designee shall communicate the safety briefing message as often as
    22  necessary to ensure passenger safety.

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD03430-01-3
        S. 1708                             2

     1    2.  The  briefings  required by subdivision one of this section may be
     2  delivered by means of an approved  recording  playback  device  that  is
     3  audible to each passenger under normal noise levels.
     4    3. The training of conductors, trainmen and other designated employees
     5  in  emergency  techniques  and procedures, interoperable communications,
     6  handling and positioning of stricken commuters, and knowledge of  proce-
     7  dures and equipment used during evacuation procedures.
     8    § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.