S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
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4678
2021-2022 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
February 4, 2021
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Introduced by M. of A. SILLITTI -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to Nassau county educa-
tional construction projects; and providing for the repeal of such
provisions upon expiration thereof
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Subdivision 4 of section 1950 of the education law is
amended by adding a new paragraph pp to read as follows:
PP. (1) NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF LAW, THE NASSAU COUNTY
BOARD OF COOPERATIVE EDUCATIONAL SERVICES SHALL ESTABLISH AN OFFICE FOR
REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF ALL SCHOOL MAINTENANCE AND CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
WITHIN THE COUNTY OF NASSAU. SUCH OFFICE SHALL BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR ADMIN-
ISTRATION AND ENFORCEMENT OF THE UNIFORM CODE WITH RESPECT TO BUILDINGS,
PREMISES AND EQUIPMENT IN THE CUSTODY OF, OR ACTIVITIES RELATED THERETO
UNDERTAKEN BY, SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITHIN THE COUNTY OF NASSAU. NOTHING IN
THIS SECTION SHALL PREVENT THE NASSAU COUNTY BOARD OF COOPERATIVE EDUCA-
TIONAL SERVICES FROM CHARGING A FEE FOR SERVICES PROVIDED BY SUCH
OFFICE.
(2) ON OR BEFORE JANUARY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SIX THE DISTRICT
SUPERINTENDENT SHALL PREPARE A REPORT TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE TEMPORARY
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, THE MINORITY LEADER OF THE SENATE, THE SPEAKER
OF THE ASSEMBLY, AND THE MINORITY LEADER OF THE ASSEMBLY INDICATING:
(I) THE AMOUNT OF PROJECTS REVIEWED BY SUCH OFFICE, (II) THE AVERAGE
LENGTH OF TIME THAT APPROVAL OR DISAPPROVAL WAS GRANTED WITHIN, (III)
THE COST OF ESTABLISHING AND OPERATING SUCH OFFICE, (IV) THE ESTIMATED
COST SAVINGS OF HAVING CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE PROJECTS APPROVED BY
SUCH OFFICE, AND (V) A RECOMMENDATION OF WHETHER SUCH OFFICE SHOULD
CONTINUE TO EXIST.
§ 2. Paragraph (d) of subdivision 2 of section 409-d of the education
law, as added by section 1 of part B of chapter 56 of the laws of 1998,
is amended to read as follows:
(d) require each school district to develop a five year capital facil-
ities plan TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT, EXCEPT THAT SCHOOL
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00622-01-1
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DISTRICTS IN THE COUNTY OF NASSAU SHALL ALSO PROVIDE A FIVE YEAR CAPITAL
PLAN TO THE NASSAU COUNTY BOARD OF COOPERATIVE EDUCATIONAL SERVICES;
§ 3. The third undesignated paragraph of subdivision 1 and subdivision
5 of section 408 of the education law, the third undesignated paragraph
of subdivision 1 as amended by chapter 414 of the laws of 1972, are
amended to read as follows:
In the case of a school district in a city having a million inhabit-
ants or more OR SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE COUNTY OF NASSAU, all of the
provisions previously set forth in this subdivision shall apply, except
that such school district shall only be required to submit an outline of
the plans and specifications to the commissioner of education for his
information where a schoolhouse is to be erected in conjunction with the
development of a project to be developed under the provisions of article
two or five of the private housing finance law and where both the school
and the project are to have rights or interests in the same land,
regardless of the similarity or equality thereof, including fee inter-
ests, easements, space rights or other rights or interests.
5. A. In a city having a population of one million or more, all
designing, draughting and inspecting necessary in connection with the
construction, additions to, alterations and maintenance of schoolhouses
shall be performed by a bureau established and maintained for this
purpose under the board of education. The work of this bureau shall be
performed by civil service employees in the classified civil service
under the direction of the superintendent of school buildings, design
and construction, except that repairs, betterment and maintenance of
heating and ventilating plants and equipment, elevators and mechanical
equipment shall remain under the direction of the superintendent of
plant operation and maintenance. In a special case upon approval of the
board of estimate, such designing, draughting or inspecting may be
otherwise performed.
B. FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE COUNTY OF NASSAU, ALL DESIGNING,
DRAUGHTING AND INSPECTING NECESSARY IN CONNECTION WITH THE CONSTRUCTION,
ADDITIONS TO, ALTERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE OF SCHOOLHOUSES SHALL BE
PERFORMED BY AN OFFICE ESTABLISHED AND MAINTAINED FOR THIS PURPOSE UNDER
THE NASSAU COUNTY BOARD OF COOPERATIVE EDUCATION SERVICES. THE WORK OF
THIS BUREAU SHALL BE PERFORMED BY CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEES IN THE CLASSI-
FIED CIVIL SERVICE UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOL
BUILDINGS, DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION, EXCEPT THAT REPAIRS, BETTERMENT AND
MAINTENANCE OF HEATING AND VENTILATING PLANTS AND EQUIPMENT, ELEVATORS
AND MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT SHALL REMAIN UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE
DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT. IN A SPECIAL CASE UPON APPROVAL OF THE BOARD
OF ESTIMATE, SUCH DESIGNING, DRAUGHTING OR INSPECTING MAY BE OTHERWISE
PERFORMED.
§ 4. The education law is amended by adding a new article 10-E to read
as follows:
ARTICLE 10-E
NASSAU COUNTY EDUCATIONAL CONSTRUCTION
SECTION 500-A. CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.
§ 500-A. CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS. NOTWITHSTANDING THE PROVISIONS
OF ANY GENERAL, SPECIAL, OR LOCAL LAW TO THE CONTRARY, A CAPITAL
CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT ENTERED INTO BETWEEN A COMPONENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
OF THE NASSAU COUNTY BOARD OF COOPERATIVE EDUCATIONAL SERVICES AND ANY
PERSON PURSUANT TO THIS ARTICLE MAY BE AWARDED EITHER PURSUANT TO PUBLIC
BIDDING IN COMPLIANCE WITH SECTION ONE HUNDRED THREE OF THE GENERAL
MUNICIPAL LAW OR, IN ORDER TO FOSTER MAJOR INVESTMENT IN EXISTING SCHOOL
BUILDINGS AND TO DELIVER QUALITY PRODUCTS AND SERVICES THAT ARE BENEFI-
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CIAL TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE PUBLIC THEY SERVE, PURSUANT TO THE
FOLLOWING PROVISIONS OF THIS ARTICLE FOR THE AWARD OF A CONTRACT BASED
ON EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS SUBMITTED IN RESPONSE TO A REQUEST FOR
PROPOSALS PREPARED BY OR FOR A COMPONENT SCHOOL DISTRICT OF THE NASSAU
COUNTY BOARD OF COOPERATIVE EDUCATIONAL SERVICES. PROVIDED, HOWEVER,
THAT THE COMPONENT SCHOOL DISTRICT OF SUCH BOARD SHALL HAVE THE OPTION
OF OBTAINING PROFESSIONAL SERVICES INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO AN INDE-
PENDENT PROGRAM MANAGER, CONSTRUCTION MANAGERS, ARCHITECTS, ENGINEERS,
FINANCIAL EXPERTS, AND DELIVERY COMPLIANCE SERVICES THROUGH SUCH BOARD'S
STANDARD REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS PROCESS USING THE BOARD AS THE APPROVING
GOVERNING BODY INSTEAD OF THE COMPONENT SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF EDUCA-
TION FOR SUCH CONTRACT AWARDS.
1. PRIOR TO THE ISSUANCE OF A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS PURSUANT TO THIS
ARTICLE, THE NASSAU COUNTY BOARD OF COOPERATIVE EDUCATIONAL SERVICES
SHALL PUBLISH NOTICE OF SUCH ISSUANCE IN THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE
COUNTY OR REGION, IF ANY, AND IN AT LEAST ONE NEWSPAPER OF GENERAL
CIRCULATION. CONCURRENT WITH THE PUBLICATION OF SUCH NOTICE, A DRAFT
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS SHALL BE FILED WITH THE BOARD. AFTER ALLOWING A
THIRTY DAY COMMENT PERIOD AND AN ADDITIONAL TEN DAYS TO REVIEW SUCH
COMMENTS, THE BOARD MAY PUBLISH THE FINAL REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS AND
CONCURRENT WITH SUCH PUBLICATION SHALL PUBLISH NOTICE OF SUCH ISSUANCE
IN THE MANNER SPECIFIED IN THIS SUBDIVISION. CONCURRENT WITH THE PUBLI-
CATION OF THE FINAL REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS, A SET OF COMMENTS FILED IN
RELATION TO THE DRAFT REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS AND FINDINGS RELATED TO THE
SUBSTANTIVE ELEMENTS OF SUCH COMMENTS SHALL BE FILED ALONG WITH THE
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS WITH THE BOARD AND IN THE PUBLIC LIBRARY OR
LIBRARIES IN PROXIMITY TO THE PROPOSED PROJECT.
2. THE BOARD MAY REQUIRE A CONTRACTOR AWARDED A PUBLIC CONTRACT,
SUBCONTRACT OR OTHER AGREEMENT FOR A PROJECT TO ENTER INTO A PROJECT
LABOR AGREEMENT DURING AND FOR THE WORK INVOLVED WITH SUCH PROJECT WHEN
SUCH REQUIREMENT IS PART OF THE BOARD'S SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE PROJECT
AND WHEN THE BOARD DETERMINES THAT THE RECORD SUPPORTING THE DECISION TO
ENTER INTO SUCH AN AGREEMENT ESTABLISHES THAT IT IS JUSTIFIED BY THE
INTERESTS UNDERLYING THE COMPETITIVE BIDDING LAWS.
3. EVERY CONTRACT ENTERED INTO BY THE BOARD FOR A PROJECT SHALL
CONTAIN A PROVISION THAT THE DESIGN OF SUCH PROJECT SHALL BE SUBJECT TO
THE REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE NASSAU COUNTY
BOARD OF COOPERATIVE EDUCATIONAL SERVICES ENGINEER AND THAT THE DESIGN
AND CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS OF SUCH PROJECT SHALL BE FILED WITH THE
COMMISSIONER. IN ADDITION, EVERY SUCH CONTRACT SHALL CONTAIN A PROVISION
THAT THE CONTRACTOR SHALL FURNISH A LABOR AND MATERIAL BOND GUARANTEEING
PROMPT PAYMENT OF MONEYS THAT ARE DUE TO ALL PERSONS FURNISHING LABOR
AND MATERIALS PURSUANT TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF ANY CONTRACTS FOR A
PROJECT UNDERTAKEN PURSUANT TO THIS ARTICLE AND A PERFORMANCE BOND FOR
THE FAITHFUL PERFORMANCE OF THE PROJECT, WHICH SHALL CONFORM TO THE
PROVISIONS OF SECTION ONE HUNDRED THREE-F OF THE GENERAL MUNICIPAL LAW,
AND THAT A COPY OF SUCH PERFORMANCE AND PAYMENT BONDS SHALL BE KEPT BY
NASSAU COUNTY BOARD OF COOPERATIVE EDUCATIONAL SERVICES AND SHALL BE
OPEN TO PUBLIC INSPECTION.
§ 5. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire July 1,
2026 when upon such date the provisions of this act shall be deemed
repealed.