BILL NUMBER: S9113

SPONSOR: ADDABBO
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act relating to requiring the state to reimburse non-public and
private schools where COVID testing is mandated

 
PURPOSE:

Any school, non-public, religious, or private that is in a "yellow zone"
of the COVID clusters, is required to test at 20%.  However unlike their
public counterparts, nonpublic and private institutions are forced to
cover the expense of testing without state reimbursement. This is
unfunded mandate from the state puts an undue and unjust burden on many
schools.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary,
where COVID-19 testing of students, teachers and staff is mandated by
              

the state pursuant to executive order or other directive relating to
in-person instruction and settings, the state shall reimburse all
nonpublic and private schools that are subject to such mandate for the
costs associated with such testing requirements. The commissioner of
education shall adopt necessary rules and/or regulations and provide a
process and procedure to ensure the reimbursement of eligible costs
pursuant to this act.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

COVID-19 has presented our city and state with many challenges, espe-
cially as it relates to education. Schools across the state have gone to
great lengths to ensure the health and safety of their students, educa-
tors and employees. The Governor's COVID cluster initiative requires
schools in yellow zones to "Open with mandatory weekly testing of
students and teachers/staff for in-person settings.  The New York State
Department of Health will establish a percentage of teachers and
students/staff who need to be tested." The testing is critical to ensure
the safety of students, teachers, and staff and is absolutely necessary
to manage the spread of the COVID-19. However it is unjust that private
institutions have to foot the bill of the state's mandate while their
public counterparts are reimbursed.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill.

 
BUDGET IMPLICATIONS:

Undetermined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.