S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2531
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 26, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M. of A. SIMON, DAVILA, ZINERMAN, EPSTEIN, MEEKS, ANDER-
   SON, GONZALEZ-ROJAS, BURGOS -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of  A.  AUBRY,
   CARROLL,    COLTON,   DICKENS,   DILAN,   FAHY,   JOYNER,   McDONOUGH,
   PEOPLES-STOKES, ROZIC, SEAWRIGHT -- read  once  and  referred  to  the
   Committee on Education

 AN  ACT  to  amend  the  education  law,  in  relation to creating a gun
   violence prevention program
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  This  act  shall  be  known  and may be cited as the "gun
 violence prevention act".
   § 2. Legislative intent. Gunshot injuries are a major cause  of  death
 for children and adolescents in the United States, accounting for twelve
 percent  of  all  premature  deaths. Further, for every young person who
 dies as the result of  a  gunshot  injury,  five  others  are  seriously
 injured  by  a  gunshot.  Concentrated  efforts in the areas of drug and
 alcohol abuse prevention have demonstrated that preventive education can
 reduce risks for youth. But although  there  are  many  drug  prevention
 programs, there are few gun violence prevention programs in existence.
   The intent of the legislature in enacting the "gun violence prevention
 act"  is  to implement a gun violence prevention program for school-aged
 youth and  their  families  to  help  young  people  to  develop  victim
 prevention  skills  and to rehearse behaviors needed to manage problems,
 such as conflict and peer pressure,  non-violently,  without  guns.  The
 program  would  not  oppose  gun ownership or the well-supervised use of
 guns for hunting or sport.
   § 3. The education law is amended by adding a new  section  3204-a  to
 read as follows:
   §  3204-A.  GUN  VIOLENCE  PREVENTION  PROGRAM.  1. THE DEPARTMENT, IN
 CONSULTATION WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS, THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, THE  DIVI-
 SION  OF  CRIMINAL  JUSTICE  SERVICES,  THE  DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD01978-01-3
              

 A. 2531                             2
 
 CONSERVATION AND ANY OTHER EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, IS AUTHORIZED  AND
 DIRECTED  TO  DEVELOP  AND  MAKE  AVAILABLE  TO  SCHOOL  DISTRICTS A GUN
 VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAM.    THE  PROGRAM  SHALL  INCLUDE:  PRACTICAL
 SKILLS  WHICH  STUDENTS CAN USE OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM; OPPORTUNITIES FOR
 SELF-REFLECTION  AND  ROLE-PLAY  OF  STUDENTS'  COPING  MECHANISMS   AND
 EMOTIONS;  STUDENT-SET  GOALS  FOR CHANGE; THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMPETENCY
 AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS TO ADDRESS ISSUES WITH PEERS  AND  THE  COMMUNITY;
 AND PARENTAL AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND SUPPORT IN THE PROGRAM.
   2.  EVERY  SCHOOL  MAY  INSTRUCT  STUDENTS IN PRE-KINDERGARTEN THROUGH
 TWELFTH GRADE WITH RESPECT TO GUN VIOLENCE  PREVENTION  USING  MATERIALS
 PROVIDED  BY  THE  DEPARTMENT  FOR SUCH PURPOSE. EACH SCHOOL ELECTING TO
 PROVIDE SUCH INSTRUCTION MAY REQUEST INFORMATION AND RESOURCES  THEREFOR
 FROM THE DEPARTMENT PURSUANT TO THIS ARTICLE.
   3.  THE  DEPARTMENT  SHALL  PROVIDE  A  REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR AND THE
 LEGISLATURE ON OR BEFORE JULY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SIX,  ASSESSING
 THE  RESULTS OF THE GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAM ESTABLISHED PURSUANT
 TO THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION. THE REPORT SHALL INCLUDE FINDINGS  AS
 TO  THE PROGRAM'S IMPACT ON REDUCING GUNSHOT INJURIES AMONG CHILDREN AND
 ADOLESCENTS AND SHALL  OFFER  RECOMMENDATIONS  AS  TO  WHETHER  THE  GUN
 VIOLENCE  PREVENTION PROGRAM SHOULD BE EXPANDED, MODIFIED OR ELIMINATED,
 AND WHETHER OR NOT OTHER GUN  VIOLENCE  PREVENTION  PROGRAMS  SHOULD  BE
 AUTHORIZED.
   § 4. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it shall have become a law.