Relates to a reduced fare program in the metropolitan transportation authority for veterans who are students

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Jenifer Rajkumar

Establishes a reduced-fare program in the MTA for veteran students, providing transit cost relief to student veterans and outlining eligibility and verification details.

REFERRED TO CORPORATIONS, AUTHORITIES AND COMMISSIONS

Bill Summary: A 3509 – Reduced fare program for veteran students (MTA)

Overview

Bill Number: A 3509

Title: Relates to a reduced fare program in the metropolitan transportation authority for veterans who are students

Primary sponsor: Jenifer Rajkumar

Introduced: January 28, 2025

Status: Referred to the Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions

Related bill: A 8578 (prior-session)

What the bill would do

Based on the title, A 3509 seeks to establish or authorize a reduced fare program within the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) specifically for veterans who are currently students. The summary provided does not include the bill’s exact text or the precise design of the program (e.g., discount level, eligible services, or verification requirements). The core intent appears to be providing transportation cost relief to veteran students using MTA services (subways, buses, commuter rails, etc.).

Key provisions (not specified in the available text)

Because the bill’s full language is not provided, the following elements are not yet specified:
- Eligibility criteria (e.g., what counts as a “veteran,” acceptable student status, enrolled institutions, full-time vs. part-time)
- Discount level (percentage or fixed fare, applicability to certain transit modes)
- Geographic or service scope (MTA subway, bus, rail, etc.)
- Verification and administration (how veteran and student status would be verified, by whom)
- Funding and fiscal impact (source of funds, annual cost, potential savings)
- Benefits administration, renewal, and appeals
- Sunset or renewal terms and any sunset dates

Who would be affected

Primary beneficiaries: Veterans who are students and use MTA services

Secondary effects: The MTA’s fare policy, potential funding needs, and partner institutions (if verification occurs through colleges or veterans’ services)

Procedural and timeline aspects

Current status: Referred to the Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions, indicating the bill will undergo committee review and potential amendments.

Next steps: Committee hearings, consideration of amendments, potential floor votes, and movement to the other chamber. No explicit timeline is provided.

Related considerations

The related prior-session bill A 8578 may have encompassed similar provisions; comparing the texts (when available) could clarify scope and intent.

Readers may wish to monitor committee actions for any proposed changes or a fuller bill text to assess fiscal impact and implementation details.

If you’d like, I can help compare this bill to A 8578 or review the full text when it becomes available to provide a more detailed provisions-by-provisions summary.