Section 17-B. Public transportation safety plans; filing

1.
  Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision eight  of  section  twelve
  hundred  sixty-six  and  subdivision  seven  of  section  twelve hundred
  ninety-nine-f of the public authorities law or of subdivision  seventeen
  of  section  one hundred forty-two of this chapter, every transportation
  authority and every other  public  transportation  operator  or  carrier
  receiving  mass  transportation operating assistance pursuant to section
  eighteen-b of this  chapter  either  directly  from  the  department  of
  transportation  or  through  a  county  or municipality pursuant to said
  section, shall prepare and publicize a plan for  transportation  safety,
  including but not limited to equipment maintenance procedures, personnel
  safety  training  programs, accident reporting systems, passenger safety
  practices and the persons responsible for  the  implementation  of  such
  practices   and   programs.  Every  authority  and  every  other  public
  transportation operator or carrier required herein to file such  a  plan
  shall  review such plan biennially and amend such plan if amendments are
  necessary.
    2. A  plan  and  any  amendment  thereto,  prepared  pursuant  to  the
  provisions  of  this  section  shall be filed with the department at its
  Albany office. The commissioner, in consultation with the  state  public
  transportation safety board shall examine the plan and determine whether
  the  same is satisfactory and feasible. The plan shall be made available
  to any and all persons, corporations, departments and agencies necessary
  to enable timely review and solicitation of comments.
    3. If within one hundred eighty days  of  receipt  of  notice  of  the
  provisions  of  this  section  from the commissioner and every two years
  thereafter, any transportation authority or system shall fail to file  a
  plan as required by this section or shall file a plan or amendment which
  the  commissioner  determines  in  consultation  with  the  state public
  transportation safety board, is unsatisfactory and shall fail to file  a
  substitute plan or amendment within ninety days of the sending of notice
  of   such  determination,  the  commissioner  shall  be  authorized  and
  empowered to withhold from such authority or system payment of  any  and
  all  state  moneys  otherwise  payable  to  such  authority or system as
  operating assistance pursuant to section eighteen-b of this  chapter  in
  the next occurring quarter of the state fiscal year.
    4.  For  purposes  of  this  section the term transportation authority
  shall be deemed to mean and include  every  public  benefit  corporation
  constituting  a transportation authority which provides or contracts for
  the provision of mass transportation services or any subsidiary thereof.