BILL NUMBER:S2589

TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the education law, in relation to criminal background
checks of certain prospective employees

PURPOSE:

To provide administrative relief to the New York State Education
Department, and prospective employees in processing fingerprints for
bus drivers.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1: Amends section 3035 of the education law by adding a new
subdivision 3-b.

Section 2: Sets forth an immediate effective date.

JUSTIFICATION:

Recent years have confronted school districts with unprecedented
fiscal challenges. While the economic outlook for the state is
steadily improving, it is a legislative priority to provide as much
flexibility as possible to school districts to enable them to provide
              

the high quality education we have come to expect for our students.
While there are many requirements imposed on school districts that
provide educational value, others continue to constrain the creativity
of a district to provide services to students and relief to taxpayers.

This bill eliminates duplicative fingerprinting of school bus drivers.
Currently, school bus drivers are required to receive clearance from
the Department of Motor Vehicles pursuant to section 509-cc of the
Vehicle and Traffic law. They are also required to provide a second
set of fingerprints to the State Education Department. This bill
authorizes the Department of Motor Vehicles to provide such criminal
history to the Commissioner of Education, relieving a duplicative
administrative burden. This bill provides further authorization to the
Division of Criminal Justice to provide subsequent criminal history
notifications directly to the Commissioner of Education upon
notification that a prospective employee has been cleared for
employment.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2014: Veto #576
2013: Passed Senate

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

Potential savings to the New York State Education Department.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

Immediately.