Bylaws

NYCTRC Open Meetings Law Resolution, Effective January 1, 2023:

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ARTICLE I: MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. The membership of the New York City Transit Authority Advisory Council (NYCTAAC) will consist of those persons duly appointed in accordance with Section 1204-E of the Public Authorities Law. Persons whose term has expired will continue to serve until their successors have been appointed.

Section 2. Every member of the NYCTAAC shall be a member of the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee (PCAC) to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA).

Section 3. Any NYCTAAC member who receives, directly or indirectly, money or other valuable consideration in connection with work related to public transportation policies or operations in the MTA region, or who bids for or otherwise formally seeks work as a consultant or contractor with the MTA or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates, shall disclose such involvement in writing to the NYCTAAC, to the Governor, and to the official who nominated the member to the council. Such disclosure shall be recorded in the NYCTAAC minutes.

Section 4. During the course of discussion of any issue in which a member has a private or pecuniary interest, the member shall orally disclose the nature of the interest, and shall refrain from voting on that issue.

ARTICLE II: PURPOSE

Section 1. The purposes of the NYCTAAC are defined under Section 1204-A of the Public Authorities Law.

Section 2. The NYCTAAC shall study, investigate, monitor, and make recommendations with respect to the maintenance, and operation of the New York City Transit Authority (NYCTA), its subsidiaries and the Staten Island Rapid Transit Operating Authority (SIRTOA).

Section 3. The NYCTAAC shall study and investigate all aspects of the day to day operation of the NYCTA and SIRTOA, monitor their performance and recommend changes to improve the efficiency of the operation thereof.

Section 4. The NYCTAAC may request and shall receive from any department, division, board, bureau, commission, agency, public authority of the state or any political subdivision thereof such assistance and data as it requests to enable it to properly carry out its activities for the purposes set forth.

ARTICLE III: OFFICERS

Section 1. The officers of the NYCTAAC shall be elected by the members of the NYCTAAC from their number and shall consist of a Chairman, Vice Chairman, and a three-member Executive Committee.The officers shall be elected at the regular June meeting of the NYCTAAC and shall hold office for a term of one (1) year from July 1-June 30 or until a successor is elected.

Section 2. An officer may be removed from office for cause by a two-thirds vote of the total membership of the NYCTAAC.

Section 3. Vacancies of the Chair, Vice Chair and three-member Executive Committee shall be filled by majority vote of the NYCTAAC as they may occur.

Section 4. The Chairman shall preside at all meetings and will represent the NYCTAAC on the Executive Committee of the PCAC. The Chairman will have the power to appoint committees and committee chairs as required.

Section 5. The Vice Chairman shall assume the powers and duties of the Chairman in his or her absence, and will serve on the PCAC Executive Committee.

Section 6. The NYCTRC will recommend to the Governor’s Office a candidate for the Council’s non-voting seat on the MTA Board. In the event of a vacancy, the Council shall nominate a candidate at a regular meeting of the NYCTRC and the vote taken at the next regular meeting.

ARTICLE IV: MEETINGS

Section 1. Regular meetings of the NYCTAAC shall be held once a month.

Section 2. Special meetings of the NYCTAAC may be called by the Chairman upon seven (7) days’ notice to the members of the NYCTAAC or upon written request signed by three (3) members of the NYCTAAC. The notice of a special meeting shall state the purpose of the meeting and the business to be transacted at such meeting.

Section 3. A quorum at any meeting of the NYCTAAC shall consist of one half of the members of the NYCTAAC duly appointed and serving.

Section 4. Proxies may be voted only if the person giving the proxy specifically designates to the Executive Director of the PCAC or any other member the particular issues to be voted upon and the position to be taken.

Section 5. If any member of the NYCTAAC is absent from three (3) consecutive regular NYCTAAC/PCAC meetings, or from six (6) such meetings in any twelve month period, the Chairman shall prepare a letter directed to the Governor with a copy to the official who nominated the member stating that the member has failed to meet the attendance standards of the NYCTAAC and recommending appointment of a new member. However if the Chairman finds that a specific absence or group of absences has been beyond the control of the member and that the cause of that absence or group of absences no longer persists, he or she may exclude that absence or group of absences from consideration in determining whether the member has met the attendance standards of the NYCTAAC.

Section 6. Official NYCTAAC positions on issues shall be approved by a majority vote of the membership of the NYCTAAC or by a two-thirds vote of those present at a meeting, whichever is less. Press releases and statements to the media on issues shall be approved by a majority vote of the NYCTAAC Executive Committee. The NYCTAAC Chair has the sole authority to speak on behalf of the NYCTAAC membership. The Chair may delegate this authority, on a case by case basis, to the Vice Chair of the NYCTAAC or the Executive Director of the PCAC.

Section 7. Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised, shall govern all meetings of the NYCTAAC consistent with these bylaws.

ARTICLE V: BYLAW REVISIONS

Section 1. The bylaws of the NYCTAAC may be amended by a vote of two-thirds of the total membership of the NYCTAAC.

Section 2. Amendments to these bylaws shall be moved at a regular meeting of the NYCTAAC and the vote taken at the next regular meeting.