A straphanger swipes his Metrocard in a turnstile as he enters the 34th St. subway station Monday, July 23, 2007 in New York. Straphangers who thought they deserved sympathy for being packed in like sardines could get more bad news this week if transit officials vote to consider the system’s first fare increase since 2003. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
What to Know
- Governor Cuomo released a statement on Tuesday calling for a ban on sex offenders from using MTA services
- Repeat and high-risk sexual offenders would be barred for three years from using subways, buses and rail systems in the city.
- The proposal for the ban will be put forward in Cuomo’s State of the State address on Wednesday
Creeps, pervs and gropers of beware — New York City’s mass transit may soon be off-limits.
Governor Cuomo released a statement on Tuesday calling for a ban on sex offenders from using MTA services. Specifically, repeat and high-risk sexual offenders would be barred for three years from using subways, buses and rail systems in the city.
“MTA riders deserve to feel safe, and we have an obligation to ensure they will not be targeted by sex offenders," Governor Cuomo said."Enough is enough. If we want our public transit system to improve, we need balance between someone's right to access public transit and the riders' right to safety, which is why I am proposing a three-year ban from the MTA transit systems as a penalty for individuals who repeatedly engage in this abhorrent behavior."
The proposal for the ban will be put forward in Cuomo’s State of the State address on Wednesday.
In addition to the ban, the governor’s proposal would establish a new law that would allow judges to prohibit those convicted of transit-related sex crimes from using MTA services, or issue temporary bans.
While acknowledging the need to do something about the recent increase in sex crimes committed on subways and buses in New York City, the Legal Aid Society blasted the proposal and questioned whether it was even constitutional.
News
“No one supports unwanted sexual touching on the subway, but this wrongheaded proposal from Governor Cuomo will do far more harm than good,” a statement from the justice group read. “It will further marginalize this group of New Yorkers — many of whom are New Yorkers of color — who are profiled by police when they use mass transit.”
