An Assembly Resolution urging the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to establish a "Host Community Bill of Rights."

Whereas, The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (port authority) was created in 1921 by agreement of the States of New York and New Jersey to coordinate and further the development of transportation and commercial facilities within the port district; and

Whereas, The port district is the region within a radius of approximately 25 miles of the Statue of Liberty and includes all or a portion of the New Jersey counties of Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, and Union; the New York counties of Nassau, Rockland, Suffolk, and Westchester; and New York City; and

Whereas, Currently, the port authority operates and maintains infrastructure critical to trade, transportation, and the economy in New York and New Jersey and throughout the surrounding region, including five airports, four bridges, three bus terminals, two tunnels, a rail system, ferry services, marine terminals and ports, and the World Trade Center; and

Whereas, Disruptions in normal operations at port authority facilities may directly impact the communities within the port district that serve as host to port authority infrastructure and facilities; and

Whereas, In September 2013, the port authority reassigned access lanes from the host community of Fort Lee, New Jersey to the George Washington Bridge without providing notice to commuters or officials, which caused considerable traffic delays, significantly inconvenienced motorists, and impaired public safety in Fort Lee and the surrounding area; and

Whereas, The incident highlighted serious issues with the management and operations at the port authority and underscored the need for greater transparency and public input on port authority activities, particularly from the host communities; and

Whereas, In order to keep the host communities informed of certain port authority activities, it is in the best interest of this State for the port authority to establish a "Host Community Bill of Rights" to increase communication between the port authority and host communities and to increase the accountability of the port authority to the public at large; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. This House urges the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to establish a "Host Community Bill of Rights" to increase communication between the port authority and the host communities. A host community means any municipality that contains a terminal, facility, or other infrastructure operated or maintained by the port authority that is located within the New Jersey counties of Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, or Union; the New York counties of Nassau, Rockland, Suffolk, or Westchester; or the City of New York. The "Host Community Bill of Rights" shall:

a. Establish a Port Authority Advisory Committee made up of elected officials from each host community, which shall meet bi-monthly with port authority commissioners and executive staff;

b. Establish a Port Authority Public Safety Task Force made up of elected officials from each host community, which shall meet monthly with port authority executive staff and other port authority staff responsible for public safety;

c. Require the port authority to provide notice to the elected officials from a host community at least one week prior to any change in normal procedures, public transit schedules, or traffic patterns within the host community;

d. Require the port authority to provide notice to the elected officials from a host community at least one week prior to any planned activities at port authority facilities that may impact the host community;

e. Require the port authority to provide notice to the elected officials from a host community within 30 minutes of any emergency situation that may have an impact on normal procedures, public transit schedules, or traffic patterns within the host community; and

f. Require the port authority to provide the elected officials from each host community, at least two times per year, a list of all infrastructure projects of the port authority, which shall include a detailed explanation of the need for each project, cost of each project, and anticipated impact that each project will have on the host community.

2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly to the Governor of the State of New Jersey, the Governor of the State of New York, each member of the Board Commissioners of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the Deputy Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the Chairperson of the Bergen County Board of Chosen Freeholders, the Chairperson of the Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders, the Chairperson of the Hudson County Board of Chosen Freeholders, the Chairperson of the Middlesex County Board of Chosen Freeholders, the Chairperson of the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders, the Chairperson of the Morris County Board of Chosen Freeholders, the Chairperson of the Passaic County Board of Chosen Freeholders, the Chairperson of the Somerset County Board of Chosen Freeholders, the Chairperson of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, the Chairperson of the Nassau County Board of County Legislators, the Chairperson of the Rockland County Board of County Legislators, the Chairperson of the Suffolk County Board of County Legislators, the Chairperson of the Westchester County Board of County Legislators, and the Chairperson of the New York City Council.

STATEMENT

This resolution urges the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (port authority) to establish a "Host Community Bill of Rights."

The port authority was created to coordinate and further the development of transportation and commercial facilities within the port district, which comprises the New Jersey counties of Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, and Union; the New York counties of Nassau, Rockland, Suffolk, and Westchester; and New York City. Currently, the port authority operates and maintains infrastructure critical to trade, transportation, and the economy in New York and New Jersey and throughout the surrounding region. Disruptions in normal operations at port authority facilities may directly impact the communities within the port district that serve as host to port authority infrastructure and facilities.

In order to keep the host communities informed of port authority activities, the port authority is urged to establish a "Host Community Bill of Rights" which will:

- Establish a Port Authority Advisory Committee made up of elected officials from each host community, which shall meet bi-monthly with port authority commissioners and executive staff;

- Establish a Port Authority Public Safety Task Force made up of elected officials from each host community, which shall meet monthly with port authority executive staff and other port authority staff responsible for public safety;

- Require the port authority to provide notice to the elected officials from a host community at least one week prior to any change in normal procedures, public transit schedules, or traffic patterns within the host community;

- Require the port authority to provide notice to the elected officials from a host community at least one week prior to any planned activities at port authority facilities that may impact the host community;

- Require the port authority to provide notice to the elected officials from a host community within 30 minutes of any emergency situation that may have an impact on normal procedures, public transit schedules, or traffic patterns within the host community; and

- Require the port authority to provide the elected officials from each host community, at least two times per year, a list of all infrastructure projects of the port authority, which shall include a detailed explanation of the need for each project, cost of each project, and anticipated impact that each project will have on the host community.

For the purpose of this resolution, "host community" means any municipality that contains a terminal, facility, or other infrastructure operated or maintained by the port authority that is located within the New Jersey counties of Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, or Union; the New York counties of Nassau, Rockland, Suffolk, or Westchester; or the City of New York.