NY State Senate Bill 2023-S1958

Senate Bill S1958

2023-2024 Legislative Session

Establishes a task force to study and make recommendations on school safety in the state of New York

download bill text pdf

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Education Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Actions

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 03, 2024	referred to education
Jan 17, 2023	referred to education

2023-S1958 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A2803
Current Committee:: Senate Education
Law Section:: Education
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2017-2018: S7928
2019-2020: S2746
2021-2022: S2208, A6244

2023-S1958 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Establishes a task force to study and make recommendations on school safety in the state of New York.

2023-S1958 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S1958

SPONSOR: ADDABBO
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to establish a task force to study and make recommendations on
school safety in the state of New York

 
PURPOSE:

To create a New York State Task Force on School Safety, which would
consist of professionals in the fields of education, school adminis-
tration, mental health, and law enforcement. Four members would be
appointed by the Governor, four by the Senate Majority Leader, and four
by the Speaker of the Assembly. The Task Force would be charged with
studying the frequency and seriousness of violence that occurs on school
grounds, study the cause of such violence, including the influences of
conditions such as school size and environment, home environment, cyber
abuse, psychological factors and any other influence the task force
deems relevant.

The task force will make recommendations on measures to increase school
safety, and issue a report to the Governor and the Legislature within

one year of the effective date of this law.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1, subsection a - Describes the establishment of a task force to
study school safety at schools in the state of New York.  Subsection B
outlines the mandate of the topics the task force would study, including
measures other states have undertaken in order to reduce violence on
school grounds. Subsection c calls for a report to the Governor and
Legislature within one year.

Section 2 - Defines the qualifications of Task Force members.
Subsection d states that members will receive no compensation for their
services, but will be allowed actual necessary expenses in the perform-
ance of their services. Subsection e stipulates that the task force will
be provided with certain facilities for their meetings in order to carry
out their powers and duties.

Section 3 - Effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

In light of the recent mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High
School in Parkland, Florida and the increasing number of other incidents
of gun violence on school grounds that have taken place in recent histo-
ry, New York must immediately take steps to ensure that students in ourò
state are protected. As there is much disagreement as to how to address
this issue, and no single solution that is going to solve this problem,
it is necessary that professionals who work in an educational environ-
ment, as well as mental health professionals and law enforcement develop
practical solutions in order to address this public safety issue that
threatens the lives of children. Their input into policies and laws
created by the NYS Legislature is essential to solve this epidemic that
is plaguing our country.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2019:S.2746 - Passed Senate.

2020:S.2746A - Referred to Senate Education Committee.

2021:S.2208 - Referred to Senate Education Committee.

2022:S.2208 - Referred to Senate Education Committee.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

Minimal.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.

2023-S1958 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   1958
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 17, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. ADDABBO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
 
 AN ACT to establish a task force to study and  make  recommendations  on
   school safety in the state of New York
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. a. A task force is hereby established to study school safe-
 ty at schools in the state of  New  York.  For  purposes  of  this  act,
 "violence"  shall  mean any occurrence that may compel a school official
 to contact law enforcement for assistance.
   b. The task force shall:
   (i) study the frequency and seriousness of  violence  that  occurs  on
 school grounds;
   (ii) study the causes of such violence, including the influence of:
   (1) school size and environment;
   (2) home environment and abuse;
   (3) community environment;
   (4) cyber abuse;
   (5) psychological factors;
   (6) media coverage of violent acts; and
   (7) any other influences the task force deems relevant;
   (iii)  study  current  measures implemented by schools in the state of
 New York to increase school safety;
   (iv) study measures other states and  countries  have  implemented  to
 increase school safety; and
   (v) make recommendations on measures the state of New York may take in
 order to increase school safety.
   c.  No  later  than one year after the effective date of this act, the
 task force shall report its findings to the governor  and  the  legisla-
 ture, as described under subdivision b of this section.
   § 2. a. The task force shall be comprised of:
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD04128-01-3

 S. 1958                             2
 
   (i) five members appointed by the governor;
   (ii)  five members appointed by the temporary president of the senate;
 and
   (iii) five members appointed by the speaker of the assembly.
   b. Of the five members appointed by the governor, temporary  president
 of the senate, and speaker of the assembly, each shall appoint:
   (i) one member with experience in teaching;
   (ii) one member with experience as a mental health professional;
   (iii) one member with experience in law enforcement;
   (iv) one member with experience as a school administrator; and
   (v) one member with experience as a school safety agent.
   c.  One of the appointments by the governor shall serve as chairperson
 of the task force.
   d. The members of the task force shall  receive  no  compensation  for
 their services, but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses
 incurred in the performance of their services.
   e.  All  departments,  divisions,  bureaus,  commissions, districts or
 agencies of the state or any political subdivisions  thereof  shall,  at
 the request of the chairperson, provide the task force with such facili-
 ties, assistance and data as will enable the task force to carry out its
 powers and duties.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.

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