S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   6053
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 26, 2019
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. LAWRENCE, FINCH -- read once and referred to the
   Committee on Transportation
 
 AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to  authorizing
   a  distinctive "guardians for schools" license plate; and to amend the
   state finance law, in  relation  to  establishing  the  guardians  for
   schools fund

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The vehicle and traffic law is  amended  by  adding  a  new
 section 404-ff to read as follows:
   §  404-FF. DISTINCTIVE "GUARDIANS FOR SCHOOLS" LICENSE PLATES. 1.  ANY
 PERSON RESIDING IN THIS STATE SHALL UPON REQUEST BE ISSUED A DISTINCTIVE
 "GUARDIANS FOR SCHOOLS" LICENSE PLATE BEARING THE PHRASE "GUARDIANS  FOR
 SCHOOLS".    APPLICATION FOR SAID LICENSE PLATES SHALL BE FILED WITH THE
 COMMISSIONER  IN  SUCH  FORM  AND  DETAIL  AS  THE  COMMISSIONER   SHALL
 PRESCRIBE.
   2.  ANY  DISTINCTIVE  PLATE  ISSUED  PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION SHALL BE
 ISSUED IN THE SAME MANNER AS OTHER NUMBER PLATES UPON THE PAYMENT OF THE
 REGULAR REGISTRATION FEE PRESCRIBED BY SECTION FOUR HUNDRED ONE OF  THIS
 ARTICLE  PROVIDED,  HOWEVER, THAT AN ADDITIONAL ANNUAL SERVICE CHARGE OF
 TWENTY-FIVE DOLLARS SHALL BE CHARGED FOR SUCH PLATE. SUCH ANNUAL SERVICE
 CHARGE SHALL BE DEPOSITED PURSUANT TO THE  PROVISIONS  OF  SECTION  FOUR
 HUNDRED  FOUR-OO  OF  THIS  ARTICLE  TO  THE CREDIT OF THE GUARDIANS FOR
 SCHOOLS FUND ESTABLISHED  BY  SECTION  NINETY-SEVEN-YYYY  OF  THE  STATE
 FINANCE LAW, AND SHALL BE USED FOR PURPOSE OF ENSURING INCREASED SECURI-
 TY IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.  PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT ONE YEAR AFTER THE EFFEC-
 TIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION, FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS,
 OR SO MUCH THEREOF AS MAY BE AVAILABLE SHALL BE ALLOCATED FROM SUCH FUND
 TO THE DEPARTMENT TO OFFSET COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PRODUCTION OF SUCH
 LICENSE PLATE.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD06471-01-9
              

 A. 6053                             2
 
   §  2. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section 97-yyyy
 to read as follows:
   §  97-YYYY.    GUARDIANS FOR SCHOOLS FUND.   1. THERE IS HEREBY ESTAB-
 LISHED IN THE JOINT CUSTODY OF THE COMMISSIONER OF TAXATION AND  FINANCE
 AND  THE  COMPTROLLER,  A SPECIAL FUND TO BE KNOWN AS THE "GUARDIANS FOR
 SCHOOLS FUND".
   2. SUCH FUND SHALL CONSIST OF ALL REVENUES RECEIVED  PURSUANT  TO  THE
 PROVISIONS  OF  SECTION  FOUR HUNDRED FOUR-FF OF THE VEHICLE AND TRAFFIC
 LAW AND ALL OTHER MONEYS APPROPRIATED, CREDITED, OR TRANSFERRED  THERETO
 FROM ANY OTHER FUND OR SOURCE PURSUANT TO LAW. NOTHING CONTAINED IN THIS
 SECTION SHALL PREVENT THE STATE FROM RECEIVING GRANTS, GIFTS OR BEQUESTS
 FOR  THE  PURPOSES OF THE FUND AS DEFINED IN THIS SECTION AND DEPOSITING
 THEM INTO THE FUND ACCORDING TO LAW.
   3. MONEYS OF THE FUND SHALL BE EXPENDED FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF ENSUR-
 ING INCREASED SECURITY IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO,
 HELPING PAY FOR SCHOOL  RESOURCE  OFFICERS,  SECURITY  TRAINING,  MENTAL
 HEALTH  COUNSELING,  METAL  DETECTORS, SECURITY CAMERAS AND OTHER SCHOOL
 BUILDING MODIFICATIONS TO IMPROVE SCHOOL  SAFETY.  THE  COMMISSIONER  OF
 EDUCATION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK SHALL ESTABLISH GUIDELINES AND CRITE-
 RIA FOR QUALIFYING EXPENDITURES UNDER THIS SUBDIVISION AND SHALL PROMUL-
 GATE  ALL RULES AND REGULATIONS NECESSARY TO IMPLEMENT THE PROVISIONS OF
 THIS SUBDIVISION.
   4. MONEYS SHALL BE PAID OUT OF THE FUND ON THE AUDIT  AND  WARRANT  OF
 THE  STATE  COMPTROLLER ON VOUCHERS CERTIFIED OR APPROVED BY THE COMMIS-
 SIONER OF EDUCATION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
   5. ANY INCOME EARNED ON MONEYS IN THE GUARDIANS FOR SCHOOLS FUND SHALL
 BE ADDED TO AND USED FOR THE PURPOSES OF SUCH FUND.
   6. MONIES OF THE FUND SHALL BE USED SOLELY FOR THE USE OF SCHOOL SECU-
 RITY MEASURES AND MAY NOT BE DIVERTED INTO THE GENERAL FUND.
   § 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition,  amend-
 ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
 tation  of  this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and
 completed on or before such effective date.