ALBANY – Legislation that would create a half-rate program for veterans using Metropolitan Transportation Authority services including the Metro-North Railroad lines has passed in the State Senate. The bill was sponsored by Senator Susan Serino (R, Hyde Park).
The Assembly will now consider the measure, which it did not vote on last year when the Senate passed it as well.
“Increasing access to transportation services by creating a half-fare program has the potential to significantly improve quality of life for veterans living, working and receiving health care in the MTA region,” Serino said. “We have over 400,000 veterans in the MTA service area alone; that’s a lot of veterans. Throughout New York State there is the highest veterans population in all of the United States and we also have an issue of New York losing over 30 percent of our veteran population just between 2000 and 2015 and especially since we have a high cost of living in New York especially in the MTA region, driving people out each and every day.”
When the Senate passed the same resolution last year, it remained bottled
up in an Assembly committee. Serino is hopeful with a Assembly sponsor
this year, it will be passed in the lower house before lawmakers adjourn
for the year in June.
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