BILL NUMBER: S5559

SPONSOR: LAVALLE
 
TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the education law, in relation to
authorizing certain school districts in the county of Suffolk to use
school buses for the transportation of school personnel in certain cases

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

Authorizes school districts wholly or partially located within the towns
of Southampton and East Hampton to use school buses for the transporta-
tion of school personnel in certain cases.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1. Amends Section 1502 of the Education Law by adding a new
subdivision 6 authorizing school districts wholly or partially within
the towns of Southampton and East Hampton in the county of Suffolk, to
permit the use of school buses to transport teachers and other school
personnel in connection with such employment, between the Long Island
Rail Road stations in Southampton, Bridgehampton, East Hampton, Amagan-
              

sett, and Montauk and school district facilities, in connection with the
operation of the South Fork Commuter Connection Service, operated by the
Long Island Rail Road.

Section. 2. Immediate effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

After several years of preparation, planning and successful State fund-
ing efforts, the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) began operating the South
Fork Commuter Connection (SFCC) on March 4, 2019. The SFCC provides
commuters with two new eastbound trains on the South Fork of Long Island
during morning rush hours and two returning westbound trains during the
afternoon rush period. The goal of the SFCC is to serve as a commuting
alternative to the oppressive and increasing traffic congestion on Coun-
ty Road 39 and Montauk Highway.

Utilizing the State funds, the Towns of East Hampton and Southampton are
able to provide commuters with bus shuttle service from the LIRR
stations to their jobs in the morning and return service from work back
to the train stations at the end of the day. In order to expand shuttle
services, the towns would like to be able to transport commuters who are
employed by school districts within the SFCC service territory by means
of school bus. Current law, however, must be amended to allow passengers
on a school bus that are not riding with pupils for this purpose. This
legislation is necessary to authorize school districts within the towns
of Southampton and East Hampton to permit the use of school buses to
transport teachers and other school personnel between the LIRR stations
in Southampton, Bridgehampton, East Hampton, Amagansett, and Montauk and
school district facilities, in connection with the operation of the
SFCC.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2019: New Legislation

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately