S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
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                                  7446

                       2013-2014 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                              May 17, 2013
                               ___________

Introduced by M. of A. THIELE -- read once and referred to the Committee
  on Education

AN  ACT  to  amend the education law, in relation to voting on contracts
  with teachers by certain  members of the board of education  of  union
  free school districts

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. The legislature finds that conflicts of interest exist when
school board members vote on contracts that favorably affect members  of
their  families.  This inherent conflict of interest helps contribute to
the high cost of education in areas across New York state. This in  turn
has  resulted  in higher property taxes. Such conflicts of interest need
to be neutralized through the adoption of legislation prohibiting school
board members from voting on contracts that have this effect.
  S 2. Subdivision 16 of section 1709 of the education law,  as  amended
by chapter 687 of the laws of 1949, is amended to read as follows:
  16.  To  contract with and employ such persons as by the provisions of
this chapter are qualified teachers, to determine the number of teachers
to be employed in the several departments of instruction in said school,
and at the time of such employment, to make and deliver to each  teacher
a  written contract as required by section three thousand eleven of this
chapter, except as otherwise provided by sections three thousand  twelve
and  three  thousand  thirteen; PROVIDED, THAT NO MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF
EDUCATION SHALL VOTE ON ANY CONTRACT THAT WOULD AFFECT A PERSON  WHO  IS
RELATED  BY BLOOD OR MARRIAGE TO SUCH MEMBER; and employ such persons as
may be necessary to supervise, organize, conduct and maintain  athletic,
playground  and social center activities, or for any one or more of such
purposes; and to adopt rules and regulations governing the  excusing  of
absences  of  all  teachers  and other employees and for the granting of
leaves of absence to such employees either  with  or  without  pay.  The
regular  teachers  of the school may be employed at an increased compen-

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD10066-01-3
              

A. 7446                             2

sation or otherwise, and by separate agreement, written or oral, for one
or more of such purposes.
  S  3.  This  act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall
have become a law.