File #: Int 1149-2024    Version: Name: Language accessibility at ferry terminals.
Type: Introduction Status: Enacted (Mayor's Desk for Signature)
Committee: Committee on Economic Development
On agenda: 12/19/2024
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to language accessibility for ferry service
Sponsors: Amanda C. Farías, Selvena N. Brooks-Powers, Alexa Avilés, Tiffany L. Cabán, Justin L. Brannan, Shahana K. Hanif, Lynn C. Schulman, Farah N. Louis
Council Member Sponsors: 8
Summary: This bill would require the Department of Transportation (DOT), the New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC) and third-party operators of contracted ferry terminals to ensure that information regarding ferry schedules, fares, and tickets at each ferry terminal is written in English, Spanish, and other locally relevant languages as determined by DOT, EDC or the third-party operator pursuant to guidance from the Federal Transit Administration, as well as reminders in multiple languages at both the St. George and Whitehall Street Terminals that the Staten Island Ferry is free for all.
Attachments: 1. Summary of Int. No. 1149-A, 2. Summary of Int. No. 1149, 3. Int. No. 1149, 4. December 19, 2024 - Stated Meeting Agenda, 5. Hearing Transcript - Stated Meeting 12-19-24, 6. Minutes of the Stated Meeting - December 19, 2024, 7. Committee Report 10/28/25, 8. Fiscal Impact Statement - City Council, 9. Hearing Testimony 10/28/25, 10. Hearing Transcript 10/28/25, 11. Proposed Int. No. 1149-A - 12/15/25, 12. Committee Report 12/18/25, 13. Hearing Transcript 12/18/25, 14. Committee Report - Stated Meeting, 15. December 18, 2025 - Stated Meeting Agenda, 16. Int. No. 1149-A (FINAL), 17. Int. No. 1149-A - Fiscal Impact Statement - City Council, 18. Int. No. 1149-A - Fiscal Impact Statement - OMB, 19. Hearing Transcript - Stated Meeting 12-18-25
Date Ver.Prime SponsorAction ByActionResultAction DetailsMeeting DetailsMultimedia
12/18/2025AAmanda C. Farías City Council Sent to Mayor by Council  Action details Meeting details Not available
12/18/2025AAmanda C. Farías City Council Approved by CouncilPass Action details Meeting details Not available
12/18/2025*Amanda C. Farías Committee on Economic Development Hearing Held by Committee  Action details Meeting details Not available
12/18/2025*Amanda C. Farías Committee on Economic Development Amendment Proposed by Comm  Action details Meeting details Not available
12/18/2025*Amanda C. Farías Committee on Economic Development Amended by Committee  Action details Meeting details Not available
12/18/2025AAmanda C. Farías Committee on Economic Development Approved by CommitteePass Action details Meeting details Not available
10/28/2025*Amanda C. Farías Committee on Economic Development Hearing Held by Committee  Action details Meeting details Not available
10/28/2025*Amanda C. Farías Committee on Economic Development Laid Over by Committee  Action details Meeting details Not available
10/1/2025*Amanda C. Farías City Council Re-referred to Committee by Council  Action details Meeting details Not available
12/19/2024*Amanda C. Farías City Council Referred to Comm by Council  Action details Meeting details Not available
12/19/2024*Amanda C. Farías City Council Introduced by Council  Action details Meeting details Not available

Int. No. 1149-A

 

By Council Members Farías, Brooks-Powers, Avilés, Cabán, Brannan, Hanif, Schulman and Louis

 

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to language accessibility for ferry service

 

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

 

Section 1. Section 19-305 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new subdivision c to read as follows:

c. Within the Whitehall terminal in the borough of Manhattan and the St. George terminal in the borough of Staten Island, the department shall:

(i) Post, in English and the designated citywide languages, a notice stating that access to any city owned and operated ferry operating between such terminals is free of charge for all passengers; and

(ii) Make service information for such ferry, such as ferry schedules, as determined by the department, available in the designated citywide languages via a quick response code posted in each such terminal, or on the department’s website. For the purposes of this subdivision, the term “designated citywide languages” has the same meaning as set forth in section 23-1101.

§ 2. The heading of section 19-308 of the administrative code of the city of New York, as added by local law number 47 for the year 2023, is amended to read as follows:

[Fares for contracted] Contracted ferry service.

§ 3. Subdivision a of section 19-308 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new definition of “designated citywide languages” in alphabetical order to read as follows:

Designated citywide languages. The term “designated citywide languages” has the same meaning as set forth in section 23-1101.

§ 4. Section 19-308 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new subdivision d to read as follows:

d. At a landing where a person boards or disembarks a contracted ferry service, the administering agency or a third-party operator of such contracted ferry service shall:

(i) Post service information such as ferry fares and schedules, as determined by the administering agency, in English, Spanish, and any other language spoken by a limited English proficiency population in the service area of such landing as determined pursuant to guidance issued by the federal transit administration regarding title VI of the civil rights act of 1964; and

(ii) Make such information available in the designated citywide languages via a quick response code posted at such landing, or on the administering agency’s website.

§ 5. This local law takes effect on January 1, 2027.

 

Session 13

KF/ARP

LS #17368

12/10/2025