2021 New York Laws
PBA - Public Authorities
Article 5 - Public Utility Authorities
Title 11 - Metropolitan Commuter Transportation Authority
1266 - Special Powers of the Authority.

Universal Citation: NY Pub Auth L § 1266 (2021)
§  1266.  Special  powers of the authority. In order to effectuate the
purposes of this title:
  1. The authority may acquire,  by  purchase,  gift,  grant,  transfer,
contract  or  lease,  any  transportation  facility other than a transit
facility  or,  subject  to  subdivision  two  of  this  section  or  any
transportation  facility  constituting  a  transit  facility,  wholly or
partially within the metropolitan commuter transportation  district,  or
any  part  thereof,  or  the  use  thereof, and may enter into any joint
service arrangements as hereinafter provided. Any  such  acquisition  or
joint  service arrangement shall be authorized only by resolution of the
authority approved by not less than a majority vote of the whole  number
of  members of the authority then in office, except that in the event of
a tie vote the chairman shall cast one additional vote.
  2. The authority may on such terms and conditions as the authority may
determine  necessary,  convenient  or  desirable  itself  plan,  design,
acquire,  establish, construct, effectuate, operate, maintain, renovate,
improve, extend, rehabilitate or repair (a) any transportation  facility
other  than  a  transit project, or (b) upon the request of the New York
city transit authority, and upon such terms and conditions as  shall  be
agreed to by the authority or any transportation facility constituting a
transit facility (a "transportation assistance project"), or may provide
for  such  planning,  design,  acquisition, establishment, construction,
effectuation,   operation,   maintenance,    renovation,    improvement,
extension,   rehabilitation  or  repair  by  contract,  lease  or  other
arrangement  on  such  terms  as  the  authority  may  deem   necessary,
convenient  or  desirable  with any person, including but not limited to
any common carrier or freight forwarder, the state,  any  state  agency,
the  federal  government,  any  other state or agency or instrumentality
thereof, any public authority of this or any other state,  the  port  of
New  York  authority or any political subdivision or municipality of the
state. In connection with the operation of any transportation  facility,
the   authority   may   plan,  design,  acquire,  establish,  construct,
effectuate, operate, maintain, renovate, improve, extend  or  repair  or
may  provide  by  contract, lease or other arrangement for the planning,
design,   acquisition,   establishment,   construction,    effectuation,
operation,  maintenance, renovation, improvement, extension or repair of
any related services and activities it deems  necessary,  convenient  or
desirable,  including  but not limited to the transportation and storage
of  freight  and  the  United  States  mail,   feeder   and   connecting
transportation,  parking  areas,  transportation  centers,  stations and
related facilities. Upon  the  completion  of  any  such  transportation
assistance  project  or  any  part  thereof  or  the  termination of any
contract, lease or other arrangement  relating  to  such  transportation
assistance   project,   the   authority  shall  cause  the  same  to  be
transferred, leased or subleased to the New York city transit  authority
or   its   designated   subsidiary,  as  appropriate,  with  or  without
consideration.
  3. The authority may establish,  levy  and  collect  or  cause  to  be
established,  levied  and  collected and, in the case of a joint service
arrangement, join with others in the establishment, levy and  collection
of  such  fares, tolls, rentals, rates, charges and other fees as it may
deem necessary, convenient or desirable for the use and operation of any
transportation facility and related services operated by  the  authority
or by a subsidiary corporation of the authority or under contract, lease
or  other  arrangement,  including  joint service arrangements, with the
authority. Any such fares, tolls, rentals, rates, charges or other  fees
for  the  transportation  of passengers shall be established and changed
only if approved by resolution of the authority adopted by not less than

a majority vote of the whole number of members of the authority then  in
office,  with  the chairman having one additional vote in the event of a
tie vote, and only after a public hearing, provided however, that fares,
tolls,  rentals,  rates, charges or other fees for the transportation of
passengers on any transportation facility which are  in  effect  at  the
time  that  the  then  owner  of  such transportation facility becomes a
subsidiary corporation of the authority or at the time that operation of
such transportation  facility  is  commenced  by  the  authority  or  is
commenced  under  contract,  lease or other arrangement, including joint
service arrangements, with the authority  may  be  continued  in  effect
without  such  a hearing. Such fares, tolls, rentals, rates, charges and
other fees shall be established as may in the judgment of the  authority
be  necessary  to  maintain the combined operations of the authority and
its  subsidiary  corporations  on  a  self-sustaining  basis.  The  said
operations  shall be deemed to be on a self-sustaining basis as required
by this title, when the authority is able to pay or  cause  to  be  paid
from  revenue  and any other funds or property actually available to the
authority and its subsidiary corporations (a) as the same  shall  become
due,  the  principal  of  and  interest on the bonds and notes and other
obligations of  the  authority  and  of  such  subsidiary  corporations,
together  with the maintenance of proper reserves therefor, (b) the cost
and expense of keeping the properties and assets of  the  authority  and
its  subsidiary  corporations  in good condition and repair, and (c) the
capital and operating expenses  of  the  authority  and  its  subsidiary
corporations.  The  authority may contract with the holders of bonds and
notes with respect to the exercise of  the  powers  authorized  by  this
section.  No  acts  or  activities  taken or proposed to be taken by the
authority or any subsidiary of the authority pursuant to the  provisions
of  this subdivision shall be deemed to be "actions" for the purposes or
within the meaning of article eight of  the  environmental  conservation
law.
  3-a.  In  furtherance  of  the  authority's  mandate  to  develop  and
implement a unified mass  transportation  policy  for  the  metropolitan
commuter  transportation  district  and  the  exercise  of  its  powers,
including the power to issue notes, bonds and other obligations  secured
in  whole  or  in  part  by  the  revenues  of  the  authority  and  its
subsidiaries, and New York city transit authority and its  subsidiaries,
the  authority  shall  join with the New York city transit authority and
its subsidiaries in connection with any  change  in  the  establishment,
levy  and  collection of fares, tolls, rentals, rates, charges and other
fees  for  the  transportation  of  passengers  on  any   transportation
facilities   operated  by  New  York  city  transit  authority  and  its
subsidiaries. Such fares, tolls, rentals,  charges  and  other  fees  on
transit   facilities   shall  be  established  in  accordance  with  the
requirements of sections twelve hundred five and twelve hundred  seven-i
of this article.
  4.  The  authority  may  establish  and,  in the case of joint service
arrangements, join with others in the establishment  of  such  schedules
and  standards  of  operations  and  such  other  rules  and regulations
including but not limited to rules and regulations governing the conduct
and safety of the  public  as  it  may  deem  necessary,  convenient  or
desirable  for  the use and operation of any transportation facility and
related services operated by the authority or under contract,  lease  or
other  arrangement,  including  joint  service  arrangements,  with  the
authority. Such rules and regulations governing the conduct  and  safety
of  the public shall be filed with the department of state in the manner
provided by section one hundred two of the executive law. In the case of
any conflict between any  such  rule  or  regulation  of  the  authority

governing  the  conduct  or  the safety of the public and any local law,
ordinance, rule or regulation, such rule or regulation of the  authority
shall prevail. Violation of any such rule or regulation of the authority
governing  the  conduct  or  the  safety  of  the  public in or upon any
facility of the authority shall  constitute  an  offense  and  shall  be
punishable by a fine not exceeding fifty dollars or imprisonment for not
more  than thirty days or both or may be punishable by the imposition of
a civil penalty by the transit adjudication bureau established  pursuant
to the provisions of title nine of this article.
  5.  The authority may acquire, hold, own, lease, establish, construct,
effectuate, operate, maintain, renovate, improve, extend or  repair  any
transportation  facilities  through,  and  cause  any one or more of its
powers, duties, functions or activities to be exercised or performed by,
one or more wholly owned subsidiary corporations of the authority, or by
New York city transit authority or any of its subsidiary corporations in
the case of transit facilities and may transfer  to  or  from  any  such
corporations  any moneys, real property or other property for any of the
purposes of this title upon such terms and conditions as shall be agreed
to and subject to such payment or repayment obligations as are  required
by  law  or  by  any  agreement to which any of the affected entities is
subject. The directors or members of each such subsidiary corporation of
the authority corporation shall be the same persons holding the  offices
of  members  of  the  authority.  The chairman of the board of each such
subsidiary shall be the chairman of the authority,  serving  ex  officio
and,  provided  that  there is an executive director of the metropolitan
transportation authority, the  executive  director  of  such  subsidiary
shall  be  the  executive  director  of  the metropolitan transportation
authority, serving ex officio. Notwithstanding any provision of  law  to
the  contrary, the chairman shall be the chief executive officer of each
such subsidiary and shall  be  responsible  for  the  discharge  of  the
executive   and   administrative  functions  and  powers  of  each  such
subsidiary. The chairman  and  executive  director,  if  any,  shall  be
empowered  to  delegate  his  or her functions and powers to one or more
officers or employees of each such subsidiary designated by him or  her.
Each  such  subsidiary  corporation  of  the  authority  and  any of its
property, functions and activities shall have  all  of  the  privileges,
immunities,  tax exemptions and other exemptions of the authority and of
the authority's property, functions and activities. Each such subsidiary
corporation shall be subject to  the  restrictions  and  limitations  to
which  the authority may be subject. Each such subsidiary corporation of
the authority shall be subject to suit in accordance with section twelve
hundred seventy-six of this title. The employees of any such  subsidiary
corporation, except those who are also employees of the authority, shall
not be deemed employees of the authority.
  If  the  authority  shall determine that one or more of its subsidiary
corporations should be in the form of a public benefit  corporation,  it
shall  create  each  such  public  benefit  corporation by executing and
filing with the secretary of state a certificate of incorporation, which
may be amended from time to time by filing, which shall  set  forth  the
name  of  such  public benefit subsidiary corporation, its duration, the
location of its principal office, and any or  all  of  the  purposes  of
acquiring,  owning,  leasing,  establishing, constructing, effectuating,
operating, maintaining, renovating, improving,  extending  or  repairing
one  or  more  facilities  of  the  authority.  Each such public benefit
subsidiary corporation shall be a body politic and corporate  and  shall
have  all those powers vested in the authority by the provisions of this
title which the authority shall determine to include in its  certificate
of incorporation except the power to contract indebtedness.

  Whenever  any  state, political subdivision, municipality, commission,
agency, officer, department, board, division or person is authorized and
empowered for any of the purposes of this title to co-operate and  enter
into  agreements  with  the authority such state, political subdivision,
municipality,  commission,  agency, officer, department, board, division
or person shall have the same authorization and power for  any  of  such
purposes  to  co-operate  and  enter  into  agreements with a subsidiary
corporation of the authority.
  6. Each of the authority and its subsidiaries, and the New  York  city
transit  authority  and its subsidiaries, in its own name or in the name
of the state, may apply for and receive and accept grants  of  property,
money  and services and other assistance offered or made available to it
by any person, government or agency, which it may use to meet capital or
operating expenses and for any other use within the scope of its powers,
and to negotiate for the same upon such  terms  and  conditions  as  the
respective  authority  may  determine  to  be  necessary,  convenient or
desirable.
  6-a. Subject to the rights of the holders of  any  outstanding  bonds,
notes  or  other  obligations  of  the  authority, New York city transit
authority and Triborough bridge and tunnel authority, and to  facilitate
the  efficient  financial  management  of  the authority, its subsidiary
corporations,  New  York  city  transit  authority  and  its  subsidiary
corporations,   and   Triborough   bridge   and  tunnel  authority  (the
"affiliated entities"), the authority may, and may permit and direct any
affiliated entity to, transfer revenues, subsidies and other  monies  or
securities to one or more funds or accounts of another affiliated entity
for  use  by  such other affiliated entity, provided at the time of such
transfer it is reasonably anticipated that the monies and securities  so
transferred  will be reimbursed, repaid or otherwise provided for by the
end of the next succeeding calendar year if reimbursement  or  repayment
is  required  by  law  or  by any agreement to which any of the affected
affiliated entities is subject. Any revenues  of  an  affiliated  entity
that  are  transferred  to another affiliated entity, which transfer was
not authorized by a provision of law other than this subdivision,  shall
be considered to be required to be repaid to the affiliated entity which
was  the  source  of  such  revenues  by  the end of the next succeeding
calendar year following such transfer.
  7. The authority may lease railroad cars  for  use  in  its  passenger
service  pursuant  to the provisions of chapter six hundred thirty-eight
of the laws of nineteen hundred fifty-nine.
  8. The authority may do all things it deems necessary,  convenient  or
desirable to manage, control and direct the maintenance and operation of
transportation  facilities,  equipment  or  real property operated by or
under contract, lease or other arrangement with the  authority  and  its
subsidiaries,  and New York city transit authority and its subsidiaries.
Except as hereinafter specially provided, no municipality  or  political
subdivision,  including but not limited to a county, city, village, town
or school or other district shall have jurisdiction over any  facilities
of  the  authority  and  its  subsidiaries,  and  New  York city transit
authority  and  its  subsidiaries,  or  any  of  their   activities   or
operations.   The   local   laws,  resolutions,  ordinances,  rules  and
regulations of a municipality or political  subdivision,  heretofore  or
hereafter adopted, conflicting with this title or any rule or regulation
of the authority or its subsidiaries, or New York city transit authority
or  its  subsidiaries,  shall  not  be  applicable  to the activities or
operations of the authority and its  subsidiaries,  and  New  York  city
transit   authority,   or  the  facilities  of  the  authority  and  its
subsidiaries, and New York city transit authority and its  subsidiaries,

except   such  facilities  that  are  devoted  to  purposes  other  than
transportation or  transit  purposes.  Each  municipality  or  political
subdivision,  including but not limited to a county, city, village, town
or   district   in   which  any  facilities  of  the  authority  or  its
subsidiaries, or New York city transit authority or its subsidiaries are
located shall provide  for  such  facilities  police,  fire  and  health
protection  services  of  the  same  character and to the same extent as
those  provided  for  residents  of  such  municipality   or   political
subdivision.
  The  jurisdiction, supervision, powers and duties of the department of
transportation of the state  under  the  transportation  law  shall  not
extend  to the authority in the exercise of any of its powers under this
title. The authority may agree with such department for the execution by
such department of any grade crossing elimination project or  any  grade
crossing  separation  reconstruction project along any railroad facility
operated by the authority or by one of its  subsidiary  corporations  or
under  contract, lease or other arrangement with the authority. Any such
project  shall  be  executed  as  provided  in  article   ten   of   the
transportation  law and the railroad law, respectively, and the costs of
any such project shall be borne as provided in such  laws,  except  that
the authority's share of such costs shall be borne by the state.
  9. Upon approval by the commissioner of transportation of the state of
New  York  of  detailed  plans and specifications, which approval may be
based  upon  considerations  of  relative  need  and   the   timing   of
construction,   the   authority  is  authorized  to  design,  construct,
maintain, operate, improve and reconstruct  a  highway  bridge  crossing
Long Island sound, as follows:

(a) Upon (i) the enactment by the state of Connecticut of legislation having like effect as the provisions of this paragraph and the granting of the consent of the congress of the United States of America to the interstate compact thereby created, and (ii) in conformity with recommendations of the New York-Connecticut bi-state bridge study commission, the authority is authorized, in cooperation with any duly designated agency or agencies of the state of Connecticut, to design, construct, maintain, operate, improve and reconstruct a highway bridge crossing Long Island sound from a point in the vicinity of the city of Bridgeport in the state of Connecticut to a point in the vicinity of the village of Port Jefferson in the state of New York, together with approaches to such bridge; and to contract from time to time with such agency or agencies of the state of Connecticut with respect to all matters affecting these authorizations, including, without limitation, the sharing of all capital, operational and maintenance expense (except that the capital expense of the original construction of such bridge, other than the expense of acquiring the needed real property, shall be in the ratio of fifty per-centum for the authority and fifty per-centum for such agency or agencies of the state of Connecticut), the manner and by whom the work of design, construction, reconstruction, improvement, maintenance and operation is to be performed or contracted to others for performance, the tolls, fees and other charges to be imposed from time to time for the use of such bridge, and the sharing of revenues derived from the imposition of such tolls, fees and charges (except that net revenues remaining after deduction of operational and maintenance expense of such bridge shall be in the ratio of fifty per-centum for the authority and fifty per-centum for the state of Connecticut or for such agency or agencies of the state of Connecticut. Subject to the limitations imposed upon the authority by the provisions of the said contracts, that portion of the said bridge and its approaches situate and lying within the territorial boundaries of the state of New York shall be deemed a "transportation facility" of the authority for all the purposes of this title, but tolls, fees and other charges imposed for the use of such bridge shall not be deemed to have been imposed "for the transportation of passengers" within the intendment of subdivision three of this section.

(b) If funds are made available by the authority for the payment of the cost and expense of the acquisition thereof, the commissioner of transportation of the state of New York, when requested by the authority, may acquire in the name of the state such real property lying within the territorial boundaries of the state as may be determined from time to time by the authority to be necessary, convenient or desirable to carry out the authorizations set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this subdivision, may remove the owner or occupant thereof where necessary and obtain possession and, when requested by the authority, may dispose of any real property so acquired, all according to the procedure provided in section thirty of the highway law. The authority shall have the right to possess and use for its corporate purposes all such real property so acquired, all according to the procedure provided in section thirty of the highway law. The authority shall have the right to possess and use for its corporate purposes all such real property so acquired. Claims for the value of the property appropriated and for legal damages caused by any such appropriation shall be adjusted and determined by the commissioner of transportation with the approval of the authority or by the court of claims as provided in section thirty of the highway law. When a claim has been filed with the court of claims, the claimant shall cause a copy of such claim to be served upon the authority and the authority shall have the right to be represented and heard before such court. All awards and judgments arising from such claims shall be paid out of moneys of the authority.

(c) The authority, acting independently or jointly or in cooperation with such agency or agencies of the state of Connecticut, may also apply for and accept, upon condition or otherwise, from the duly authorized agencies of the federal government, and of the governments of the states of Connecticut and New York, such underwater and overwater grants of real property, licenses or permits as shall be necessary, convenient or desirable to carry out the authorizations set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this subdivision.

(d) The provisions of chapter four hundred forty-two of the laws of nineteen hundred sixty-five (and of any agreement entered into in pursuance thereof) relating to the repayment of a loan made by the state to the authority for the purchase of the Long Island railroad shall be inapplicable to (i) the construction of such bridges and their approaches, (ii) bonds, notes or other obligations of the authority issued for or in connection with the financing of the cost of design, construction and reconstruction of such bridges and their approaches, or the proceeds realized upon such issuance; and (iii) revenues derived from the investment of such proceeds or of any part thereof, and from the imposition of tolls, fees or other charges for the use of such bridges. 10. Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law, general, special or local, or of any agreement entered into in pursuance thereof, relating to the repayment of any loan or advance made by the state to the authority or to the New York city transit authority, neither the authority nor the New York city transit authority shall be required to repay any such loan or advance heretofore made from or by reason of the issuance of bonds or notes of either of them or from the proceeds realized upon such issuance or from any other funds received by either of them from any source whatever in aid or assistance of the project or projects for the financing of which such bonds or notes are issued. 11. No project to be constructed upon real property theretofore used for a transportation purpose, or on an insubstantial addition to such property contiguous thereto, which will not change in a material respect the general character of such prior transportation use, nor any acts or activities in connection with such project, shall be subject to the provisions of article eight, nineteen, twenty-four or twenty-five of the environmental conservation law, or to any local law or ordinance adopted pursuant to any such article. Nor shall any acts or activities taken or proposed to be taken by the authority or by any other person or entity, public or private, in connection with the planning, design, acquisition, improvement, construction, reconstruction or rehabilitation of a transportation facility, other than a marine or aviation facility, be subject to the provisions of article eight of the environmental conservation law, or to any local law or ordinance adopted pursuant to any such article if such acts or activities require the preparation of a statement under or pursuant to any federal law or regulation as to the environmental impact thereof. 12. The authority may, upon suitable notice to and an offer to consult with an officer designated by the city of New York, occupy the streets of the city of New York for the purpose of doing any work over or under the same in connection with the improvement, construction, reconstruction or rehabilitation of a transportation facility without the consent of or payment to such city. * 12-a. (a) Whenever the authority determines in consultation with the city of New York that it is necessary to obtain the temporary or permanent use, occupancy, control or possession of vacant or undeveloped or underutilized but replaceable real property, or any interest therein, or subsurface real property or any interest therein then owned by the city of New York for a project in the two thousand fifteen to two thousand nineteen or the two thousand twenty to two thousand twenty-four approved capital programs to (i) install one or more elevators to make one or more subway stations more accessible, (ii) construct or reconstruct an electrical substation to increase available power to the subway system to expand passenger capacity or reliability, or (iii) in connection with the capital project to construct four commuter railroad passengers stations in the borough of the Bronx known as Penn Station access, the authority upon approval by the board of the metropolitan transportation authority and upon suitable notice and with the consent of the city of New York may cause the title to such real property, or any interest therein, to be transferred to the authority by adding it to the agreement of lease dated June first, nineteen hundred fifty-three, as amended, renewed and supplemented, authorized by section twelve hundred three of this article, or may itself acquire title to such property from the city of New York, and any such transfer or acquisition of real property shall be subject to the provisions of subdivision five of section twelve hundred sixty-six-c of this title. Nothing in this subdivision shall be deemed to authorize any temporary or permanent transfer or acquisition of real property, or interest therein, that is dedicated parkland without separate legislative approval of such alienation.

(b) (i) Upon the execution of any transfer or acquisition pursuant to this subdivision, which shall be final upon the approval by the board of the metropolitan transportation authority and consent of the city of New York, the fair market value shall be determined pursuant to this paragraph. The authority shall make a written offer to pay to the city of New York the fair market value of the authority's use, occupancy, control, possession or acquisition of such property. The offer by the authority shall be based on an appraisal of the value of such property and a copy of such appraisal shall be included with the offer. Such appraisal shall be done by an independent New York state licensed or certified appraiser, who may not be employed by the authority, selected at random from a panel of appraisers maintained by it for such purpose. Such appraisal and a second appraisal, if required pursuant to subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, shall consider only the reasonably anticipated lawful use of the property and its zoning designation under the zoning resolution of the city of New York at the time the authority notified the city of New York of its determination to use, occupy, control, possess or acquire such property.

(ii) Within thirty days of receipt of the offer by the authority, the city of New York may accept it, agree with the authority on another amount, or request a second appraisal by an independent New York state licensed or certified appraiser, who may not be employed by the city of New York, selected at random by the city of New York from a panel of appraisers maintained by it for such purpose. Such second appraisal shall be completed within thirty days. If the second appraisal produces an estimate of the fair market value of the property that is greater than that of the first appraisal, the authority shall have ten days to increase its offer to such higher amount, otherwise the two appraisers shall reconcile their valuations and agree on a final valuation within ten days, which shall be an amount not less than the first appraisal nor greater than the second appraisal.

(c) Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to affect or limit the authority's power under subdivision twelve of this section. * NB Repealed December 31, 2025 13. The authority and each of its subsidiary corporations shall place on each transformer and substation which contains polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) a symbol so indicating the presence of PCBs. Use of a PCB mark illustrated in the rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to the federal Toxic Substances Control Act shall constitute compliance with the provisions of this subdivision. 14. Notwithstanding any other provisions of law or the terms of any contract, the authority, in consultation with the Long Island Rail Road, shall establish and implement a no fare program for transportation on the Long Island Rail Road for police officers employed by the city of New York, county of Nassau, Nassau county villages and cities, county of Suffolk, Suffolk county villages and towns, the division of state police, the port authority of New York and New Jersey, the Metro-North Commuter Railroad Company, the New York city housing authority and the New York city transit authority. In establishing such program, which has as its goal increased protection and improved safety for its commuters, the authority and the Long Island Rail Road shall, among other things, consider: (a) requiring police officers who ride without cost to register with the Long Island Rail Road as a condition of riding without cost; (b) requiring such officers to indicate during such registration process their regular working hours and the Long Island Rail Road trains that such officers expect to ride; and (c) periodically re-registering and re-validating such officers. The authority and the Long Island Rail Road shall also have the power to consider other matters necessary to carry out the goals and objectives of this section. 15. (a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of law or the terms of any contract, the authority, in consultation with the New York city transit authority, the Long Island Rail Road and the Metro-North Commuter Railroad Company, shall establish and implement a no fare program for transportation on New York city transit authority systems, the Long Island Rail Road and the Metro-North Commuter Railroad Company for individuals serving as personal care attendants accompanying an Americans With Disabilities Act paratransit eligible individual.

(b) In order to be eligible for such no fare program the personal care attendant must show his or her community based personal care attendant agency issued identification card.

(c) In order to be considered accompanying an Americans With Disabilities Act paratransit eligible individual the personal care attendant shall have the same origin and destination as such paratransit eligible individual. 16. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the authority and any of its subsidiary corporations shall establish and implement a half fare rate program for persons with serious mental illness who are eligible to receive supplemental security income benefits as defined pursuant to title sixteen of the federal social security act and section two hundred nine of the social services law. 17. Notwithstanding any conflicting provisions of general, special or local law, and pursuant to the authority's 2000-2004 capital program plans approved by the metropolitan transportation authority capital program review board, the authority or any of its subsidiaries, the New York city transit authority or any of its subsidiaries, or Triborough bridge and tunnel authority, shall provide, from funds identified in such approved 2000-2004 capital program plans, up to twelve million dollars for the financing of a bus and heavy duty vehicles emission research and testing facility and related equipment located in the state of New York, whether within or outside of the transportation district, which facility shall be operated by the department of environmental conservation and shall be available for use on a non-exclusive basis by the authority and any of its subsidiaries, the New York city transit authority and any of its subsidiaries, and Triborough bridge and tunnel authority. 18. The authority shall conduct a campaign of public outreach to inform the public of the provisions pertaining to assault on employees described in subdivision eleven of section 120.05 of the penal law. 19. In connection with their lawful responsibilities or functions, the authority and its subsidiaries, including Metro-North Commuter Railroad, the Long Island Rail Road, MTA bus and the Staten Island rapid transit operating authority, the Triborough bridge and tunnel authority, and the New York city transit authority and its subsidiary the Manhattan and Bronx surface transit operating authority, are authorized to request, receive and review criminal history information through the division of criminal justice services with respect to any person applying for a safety sensitive position. When requested, such applicant shall submit to the authority or the requesting affiliate or subsidiary his or her fingerprints in such form and in such manner as specified by the division, for the purpose of conducting a criminal history search identifying criminal convictions and pending criminal charges and returning a report thereon in accordance with the procedures and requirements established by the division pursuant to the provisions of article thirty-five of the executive law, which shall include the payment of the reasonable prescribed processing fee for the cost of the division's full search and retention procedures and a national criminal history record check. The authority or requesting affiliate or subsidiary shall submit such fingerprints and the processing fee to the division. The division shall forward to the authority or the requesting affiliate or subsidiary a report with respect to the applicant's previous criminal history, if any, or a statement that the applicant has no previous criminal history according to its files. Fingerprints submitted to the division pursuant to this subdivision may also be submitted to the federal bureau of investigation for a national criminal history record check. If additional copies of fingerprints are required, the applicant shall furnish them upon request. Upon receipt of such criminal history information, the authority or the requesting affiliate or subsidiary shall provide such applicant with a copy of such criminal history information, together with a copy of article twenty-three-A of the correction law, and inform such applicant of his or her right to seek correction of any incorrect information contained in such criminal history information pursuant to regulations and procedures established by the division of criminal justice services. The authority or the requesting affiliate or subsidiary shall ensure that adequate notice be provided to such applicant regarding the fact that state and national criminal history record checks may be conducted. This provision shall not preclude or alter the process by which a municipal civil service commission obtains and provides background information pursuant to subdivision four of section fifty of the civil service law relating to applicants for civil service appointments at the New York city transit authority and the Triborough bridge and tunnel authority.

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