S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
7293
2021-2022 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
May 4, 2021
___________
Introduced by M. of A. ENGLEBRIGHT, COOK, COLTON, PAULIN, BENEDETTO --
Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. PERRY, J. RIVERA -- read once and
referred to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to minimum standards for
the security and safety of school grounds
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Section 305 of the education law is amended by adding a new
subdivision 57 to read as follows:
57. THE COMMISSIONER, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT OF STATE
POLICE AND THE COMMISSIONER OF THE DIVISION OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND
EMERGENCY SERVICES, SHALL ESTABLISH, BY RULE, MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR THE
SECURITY AND SAFETY OF SCHOOL BUILDINGS, GROUNDS AND PROPERTY SO AS TO
PROVIDE AN APPROPRIATELY SAFE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. SUCH STANDARDS SHALL
INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO, THE SECURITY OF BUILDING DOORS, WINDOWS
AND OTHER POINTS OF ENTRY, AND ACCESS TO SCHOOL GROUNDS AND PROPERTY,
INCLUDING GUIDELINES FOR FENCES AND SECURITY GATES.
§ 2. Subparagraphs (iii) and (iv) of paragraph i of subdivision 2 of
section 2023-a of the education law, as added by section 2 of part A of
chapter 97 of the laws of 2011, are amended and a new subparagraph (v)
is added to read as follows:
(iii) in years in which the normal contribution rate of the New York
state teachers' retirement system, as defined by paragraph a of subdivi-
sion two of section five hundred seventeen of this chapter, increases by
more than two percentage points from the previous year, a tax levy
necessary for expenditures for the coming fiscal year for school
district employer contributions to the New York state teachers' retire-
ment system caused by growth in the normal contribution rate minus two
percentage points; [and]
(iv) a capital tax levy[.]; AND
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD11143-01-1
A. 7293 2
(V) A TAX LEVY NECESSARY FOR EXPENDITURES FOR THE UPDATING AND ENHANC-
ING OF THE SECURITY AND SAFETY OF SCHOOL BUILDINGS, GROUNDS AND PROPER-
TY.
§ 3. The opening paragraph of subdivision 6 of section 3602 of the
education law, as amended by chapter 355 of the laws of 2016, is amended
to read as follows:
Any apportionment to a school district pursuant to this subdivision
shall be based upon base year approved expenditures for capital outlays
incurred prior to July first, two thousand one from its general fund,
capital fund or reserved funds and current year approved expenditures
for debt service, including debt service for refunding bond issues
eligible for an apportionment pursuant to paragraph g of this subdivi-
sion and lease or other annual payments to the New York city educational
construction fund created by article ten of this chapter or the city of
Yonkers educational construction fund created by article ten-B of this
chapter which have been pledged to secure the payment of bonds, notes or
other obligations issued by the fund to finance the construction, acqui-
sition, reconstruction, rehabilitation or improvement of the school
portion of combined occupancy structures, or for lease or other annual
payments to the New York state urban development corporation created by
chapter one hundred seventy-four of the laws of nineteen hundred sixty-
eight, pursuant to agreement between such school district and such
corporation relating to the construction, acquisition, reconstruction,
rehabilitation or improvement of any school building, or for annual
payments to the dormitory authority pursuant to any lease, sublease or
other agreement relating to the financing, refinancing, acquisition,
design, construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, improvement,
furnishing and equipping of, or otherwise provide for school district
capital facilities or school district capital equipment made under the
provisions of section sixteen hundred eighty of the public authorities
law, or for annual payments pursuant to any lease, sublease or other
agreement relating to the financing, refinancing, acquisition, design,
construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, improvement, furnishing
and equipping of, or otherwise providing for educational facilities of a
city school district under the provisions of section sixteen of chapter
six hundred five of the laws of two thousand, or for payments, pursuant
to any assignment authorized by section twenty-seven hundred ninety-
nine-tt of the public authorities law, of debt service in furtherance of
funding the five-year educational facilities capital plan of the city of
New York school district or related debt service costs and expenses as
set forth in such section, for annual payments pursuant to any lease,
sublease or other agreement relating to the financing, refinancing,
design, reconstruction, rehabilitation, improvement, furnishing and
equipping of, or otherwise providing for projects authorized pursuant to
the city of Syracuse and the board of education of the city school
district of the city of Syracuse cooperative school reconstruction act,
for annual payments pursuant to any lease, sublease or other agreement
relating to the financing, refinancing, design, reconstruction, rehabil-
itation, improvement, furnishing and equipping of, or otherwise provid-
ing for projects authorized pursuant to the city of Rochester and the
board of education of the city school district of the city of Rochester
school facilities modernization program act, for annual payments pursu-
ant to any lease, sublease or other agreement relating to the financing,
refinancing, design, construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation,
improvement, furnishing and equipping of, or otherwise providing for
projects authorized pursuant to the Yonkers city school district facili-
A. 7293 3
ties modernization program act, or for lease, lease-purchase or other
annual payments to another school district or person, partnership or
corporation pursuant to an agreement made under the provisions of
section four hundred three-b, subdivision eight of section twenty-five
hundred three, or subdivision six of section twenty-five hundred fifty-
four of this chapter, provided that the apportionment for such lease or
other annual payments under the provisions of section four hundred
three-b, subdivision eight of section twenty-five hundred three, or
subdivision six of section twenty-five hundred fifty-four of this chap-
ter, other than payments under a lease-purchase agreement or an equiv-
alent agreement, shall be based upon approved expenditures in the
current year. Approved expenditures for capital outlays from a school
district's general fund, capital fund or reserved funds that are
incurred on or after July first, two thousand two, and are not aidable
pursuant to subdivision six-f of this section, shall be aidable as debt
service under an assumed amortization established pursuant to paragraphs
e and j of this subdivision. In any such case approved expenditures
shall be only for new construction, reconstruction, purchase of existing
structures, for site purchase and improvement, for new garages, for
original equipment, furnishings, machinery, or apparatus, and for
professional fees and other costs incidental to such construction or
reconstruction, or purchase of existing structures. In the case of a
lease or lease-purchase agreement entered pursuant to section four
hundred three-b, subdivision eight of section twenty-five hundred three
or subdivision six of section twenty-five hundred fifty-four of this
chapter, approved expenditures for the lease or other annual payments
shall not include the costs of heat, electricity, water or other utili-
ties or the costs of operation or maintenance of the leased facility. An
apportionment shall be available pursuant to this subdivision for
construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation or improvement in a build-
ing, or portion thereof, being leased by a school district only if the
lease is for a term of at least ten years subsequent to the date of the
general construction contract for such construction, reconstruction,
rehabilitation or improvement. Each school district shall prepare a five
year capital facilities plan, pursuant to regulations developed by the
commissioner for such purpose, provided that in the case of a city
school district in a city having a population of one million inhabitants
or more, such facilities plan shall comply with the provisions of
section twenty-five hundred ninety-p of this chapter and this subdivi-
sion. Such plan shall include, but not be limited to, a building inven-
tory, and estimated expense of facility needs, for new construction,
additions, alterations, reconstruction, major repairs, energy consump-
tion and maintenance by school building, as appropriate. Such five year
plan shall include a priority ranking of projects, INCLUDING THOSE
NECESSARY TO COMPLY WITH SUCH SAFETY STANDARDS AS ARE ESTABLISHED PURSU-
ANT TO SUBDIVISION FIFTY-SEVEN OF SECTION THREE HUNDRED FIVE OF THIS
CHAPTER, and shall be amended if necessary to reflect subsequent on-site
evaluations of facilities conducted by state supported contractors.
§ 4. This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding
the date on which it shall have become a law.