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Assembly directs New York State Bridge Authority to report on suicide-prevention measures
Summary
Legislation passed directing the NYS Bridge Authority to report within a year on work to deter suicides on its bridges and provide policy recommendations, including climb-deterrent fencing; members questioned report recipients and implementation timelines, and sponsor cited a governor commitment of roughly $93.8 million for hardening measures.
Assemblymember Kaye sponsored a bill requiring the New York State Bridge Authority to prepare a report for the governor and legislature outlining efforts to reduce and deter suicide attempts on Authority bridges, barriers to implementation, cost estimates, and recommended policy options (including climb-deterrent fencing). Kaye told members the bill covers five vehicular bridges and one pedestrian bridge under NYSBA jurisdiction in the Hudson Valley and cited more than 30 deaths since 2022; she argued the report is a first step toward quicker implementation of safety measures.
Questioners, including Assemblymember Walsh, asked whether the information had previously been requested from the Authority, whether the governor's committed funds (cited as $93,800,000) would be used, and whether minority leaders should be explicitly included among report recipients. The sponsor said the Authority has been in discussion with legislators but the bill would compel a timely, formal report and that she would share the report with colleagues when received; she also said climb-deterrent fencing has been effective elsewhere (for example, the Tappan Zee replacement) in preventing suicides.
The Assembly approved the bill by recorded vote (Ayes 139, Nays 0). The bill requires the NYSBA to submit the report within one year from the act's effective date.
