S2708A

The New York State Senate passed legislation requiring the Bridge Authority to install means-restricted fencing on its five Hudson River bridges to prevent suicides, with a vote of 60-0. Sen. Harckham, the bill's sponsor, cited a suicide crisis on the bridges, noting over 100 completed suicides since 2007 and 35 fatalities in the past five years alone. The legislation comes after the Bridge Authority, despite previously agreeing to study the proposal, failed to include means-restriction fencing in a recent request for proposals for Bear Mountain Bridge. Harckham emphasized that such suicides are preventable, noting that 80-90 percent of people reconsider suicide attempts if stopped the first time. The bill, which takes effect three years after becoming law, was supported by Sens. Skoufis, Hinchey, and Rolison, among others. The unanimous passage signals strong legislative support for addressing the ongoing suicide crisis at the state-operated bridges.