NY State Senate Bill 2017-S7678

Senate Bill S7678

2017-2018 Legislative Session

Establishes a task force to explore the effects of cyber-bullying in New York state and potential measures to address such effects

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Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Education Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Actions

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Feb 06, 2018	referred to education

co-Sponsors

2017-S7678 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A9846
Current Committee:: Senate Education
Law Section:: Commissions
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2019-2020: S5786, A3057
2021-2022: A2206

2017-S7678 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Establishes a task force to explore the effects of cyber-bullying in New York state and potential measures to address such effects.

2017-S7678 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S7678

SPONSOR: KAMINSKY
 
TITLE OF BILL:  An act to establish a task force to explore the
effects of cyber-bullying in New York state and potential measures to
address such effects

 
PURPOSE:

This bill would create a task force of parents or guardians, school
employees, volunteers, students, administrators, or community represen-
tatives to explore and address the impact of cyber-bullying.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 establishes a task force to study cyberbullying and its impact
and provides the scope of the task force's study.

§ 2 of this bill delegates appointing authority of the task force.

§ 3 of this bill stipulates that the task force must report its findings

within 180 days after the effective date of this bill and annually for
the next three years.

§ 4 of this bill is the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

According to the Centers for Disease Control's Youth Risk Behavior
Surveillance report, 15% of students nationwide experience cyberbully-
ing, a number that has grown steadily over the past years.  Cyber-bully-
ing offers a unique threat to young people, as digital communications
allow for constant pressure that is difficult for parents and educators
to monitor. As exposure to digital communications, including text
messaging, social media, email, and the like becomes more and more prom-
inent, the pervasiveness and impact of cyber-bullying is sadly growing.
This bill would create a task force of different stakeholders to deter-
mine prevalence of cyber-bullying, and result in strategies to educate
students to prevent cyber-bullying, help guardians and educators recog-
nize cyber-bullying, and offer aid to victims.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

The fiscal impact of this bill will be limited to the actual and neces-
sary expenses incurred by the task force in pursuit of their duties.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

2017-S7678 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7678
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 6, 2018
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sen. KAMINSKY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
 
 AN ACT to establish a task force to explore the effects of  cyber-bully-
   ing in New York state and potential measures to address such effects
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. A task force is hereby established to conduct a  comprehen-
 sive  study  on the effects of, and potential methods to address, cyber-
 bullying.  The scope of such study shall include:
   a. processes that school districts can use to develop  a  policy  that
 prohibits cyber-bullying, such as a process that includes representation
 of  parents or guardians, school employees, volunteers, students, admin-
 istrators, or community representatives;
   b. procedures for school districts to implement that  assist  individ-
 uals in reporting an act of cyber-bullying;
   c.  procedures  for school districts to implement to ensure prompt and
 thorough investigations of reports of cyber-bullying;
   d. identifying existing staff that may be  able  to  assist  a  school
 district in responding to an incident of cyber-bullying, such as counse-
 lor services, support services, or intervention services;
   e.  the  potential  use of a statement in a cyber-bullying policy that
 prohibits reprisals or retaliation against any person who reports an act
 of cyber-bullying and the consequence and  appropriate  remedial  action
 for a person who engages in reprisal or retaliation;
   f.  how  often  a  school  district  should conduct a reevaluation and
 review of its cyber-bullying policy;
   g. additional methods school districts can use,  such  as  grants,  to
 fund a program regarding cyber-bullying;
   h.  identifying  the  most  common  victims  of cyber-bullying by age,
 ethnicity, religion, gender, or any other identifying characteristic the
 members of the task force deem relevant;
   i. determining the most common mediums used in cases  of  cyber-bully-
 ing,  including  but not limited to, text messages, websites, and social
 media;
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD14297-01-8

 S. 7678                             2
 
   j. identifying the social and psychological effects of  cyber-bullying
 on individuals;
   k.  measures  other states or legislative bodies have taken to address
 cyber-bullying;
   l. drafting model regulations that may be promulgated by this state to
 address cyber-bullying; and
   m. drafting model policies, in conjunction with provisions  stated  in
 this  section,  that  may be implemented by a school district to address
 cyber-bullying.
   § 2. a. The task force shall consist of seven members to be  appointed
 as follows:
   (1) three members appointed by the governor;
   (2)  two  members  appointed by the temporary president of the senate;
 and
   (3) two members appointed by the speaker of the assembly.
   b. The governor shall designate one of the appointees as the chair  of
 the task force.
   c.  The  members  of  the task force shall receive no compensation for
 their services, but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses
 incurred in the performance of their duties pursuant to this act.
   d. All appointments shall be made no later than thirty days after  the
 effective  date  of  this  act.  All  vacancies  shall  be filled by the
 appointing authority.
   § 3. The task force shall report its findings, conclusions, and recom-
 mendations to the governor,  temporary  president  of  the  senate,  and
 speaker  of the assembly within one hundred eighty days after the effec-
 tive date of this act and annually thereafter for  the  following  three
 years.
   § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.

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Senate Bill S7678

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Sponsored By

Todd Kaminsky