A 6945: Relates to addressing staffing shortages and improving workforce stability by providing state-funded financial incentives for air traffic controllers working in New York State.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 6945 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY March 18, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. SANTABARBARA -- read once and referred to the Committee on Transportation AN ACT to amend the transportation law and the state finance law, in relation to establishing incentives for attracting and retaining air traffic controllers in New York state The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The transportation law is amended by adding a new section 2 14-o to read as follows: 3 § 14-o. Air traffic controller retention and incentive program. 1. 4 There is hereby established an air traffic controller retention and 5 incentive program which shall be administered by the department of 6 transportation. Such program will provide the following financial 7 incentives to federally employed air traffic controllers working at 8 airports in New York state, in amounts to be determined by the commis- 9 sioner of transportation: 10 (a) Signing bonuses for newly hired air traffic controllers. 11 (b) Retention bonuses for air traffic controllers who remain employed 12 in New York state for a specified time period, to be determined by the 13 commissioner of transportation. 14 (c) Relocation assistance for newly hired air traffic controllers 15 employed at airports with staffing shortages who move to New York state 16 for such employment. 17 2. The commissioner of transportation shall allocate funding from the 18 air traffic controller retention and incentive program to: 19 (a) create partnerships with the state university of New York and the 20 city university of New York to develop specialized training and certif- 21 ication programs for aspiring air traffic controllers; 22 (b) provide scholarships and grants for New York residents pursuing 23 careers in air traffic control, with a focus on expanding access to 24 underrepresented and underserved communities; EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD10767-01-5 
 A. 6945 2 1 (c) implement cost-of-living adjustments to ensure fair and compet- 2 itive wages for air traffic controllers; and 3 (d) ensure that wage supplements remain competitive and responsive to 4 inflation and living expenses. 5 3. The department of transportation, in collaboration with the federal 6 aviation administration, shall develop workforce development initiatives 7 to improve recruitment, working conditions, and job satisfaction for air 8 traffic controllers in New York state. 9 4. Funding for the air traffic controller retention and incentive 10 program shall be allocated through the air traffic controller retention 11 and incentive fund established pursuant to section ninety-seven-bbbbb of 12 the state finance law. 13 § 2. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section 97-bbbbb 14 to read as follows: 15 § 97-bbbbb. Air traffic controller retention and incentive fund. 1. 16 There is hereby established in the joint custody of the commissioner of 17 transportation and the comptroller a special fund to be known as the 18 "air traffic controller retention and incentive fund". 19 2. Such fund shall consist of all revenues received pursuant to the 20 provisions of section fourteen-o of the transportation law and all other 21 moneys appropriated, credited, or transferred thereto from any other 22 fund or source pursuant to law. Any interest received by the comptroller 23 on moneys on deposit in such fund shall be retained in and become part 24 of such fund. 25 3. The monies of the fund shall be made available to the department of 26 transportation for the purpose of administering the air traffic control- 27 ler retention and incentive program pursuant to section fourteen-o of 28 the transportation law. 29 4. Monies shall be payable from the fund on the audit and warrant of 30 the comptroller on vouchers approved and certified by the commissioner 31 of transportation. 32 § 3. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeed- 33 ing the date on which it shall have become a law.