NY State Senate Bill 2023-S9944

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Rules 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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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Oct 30, 2024	referred to rules

co-Sponsors

2023-S9944 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Rules
Law Section:: Education Law
Laws Affected:: Add §1527-b, Ed L

2023-S9944 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Enacts the "our school our rules act"; prohibits mandatory regionalization plans.

2023-S9944 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S9944

SPONSOR: MARTINS
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the education law, in relation to enacting the "our
schools our rules act"

 
PURPOSE:

This legislation protects the autonomy of local school districts by
blocking any state-mandated regionalization policies or plans, as
proposed by the State Education Department and the Board of Regents,
that would require school districts to share resources, operati ons, or
services.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1 stipulates that this act shall be entitled the "Our Schools,
Our Rules Act."

Section 2 Includes legislative findings and intent, outlining the impor-

tance of local control for maintaining high-quality education, partic-
ularly on Long Island, and the risks posed by state-mandated regionali-
zation policies.

Section 3 amends the education law by adding a new Section 1528, which:
defines a "regionalization plan" as any state-mandated policy requiring
school districts to share resources or administrative operations with
other districts or educational institutions; prohibi ts the Commissioner
of Education, the State Education Department, and the Board of Regents
from mandating regionalization plans; allows districts to voluntarily
enter shared agreements but ensures they are not state-mandated; nulli-
fies any existing regulations that mandate regionalization plans; and
protects local school districts' autonomy over governance, budgeting,
and operations.

Section 4 sets forth the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Local school districts, especially on Long Island, have consistently
provided high-quality education through locally controlled gover nance.
The State Education Department's proposed regulations in Part 124,
mandating the development and implementation of regionalization plans,
pose significant threats to local control.

Forcing districts to consolidate operations or share resources under-
mines the unique strengths and needs of individual communities, partic-
ularly those with successful school systems. Regionalization may dilute
the quality of education by imposing onesize-fits-all mandates, disrupt
established district operations, and lead to higher administrative costs
without clear benefits to students or taxpayers.

Further, Long Island's taxpayers have invested heavily in their school
districts and deserve to have a say in how their schools are governed.
This legislation ensures that local schools retain their autonomy and
prevents any top-down mandates that could interfere with the quality of
education or the efficient operation of local school systems. Voluntary
co operation among districts may be encouraged, but only at the
discretion of the districts themselves.

This bill preserves the time-honored principle that local communities-
not bureaucrats in Albany-know best how to serve their students.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None. This legislation ensures that school districts will not incur
additional administrative burdens or costs from state-mandated re gion-
alization plans.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

2023-S9944 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9944
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             October 30, 2024
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sens. MARTINS, RHOADS -- read twice and ordered printed,
   and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
 
 AN ACT to amend the education law, in  relation  to  enacting  the  "our
   schools our rules act"
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may  be  cited  as
 the "our schools our rules act".
   § 2. Legislative findings and intent. The legislature finds that local
 school  districts  in the state, particularly those on Long Island, have
 historically maintained high  standards  of  education  through  locally
 controlled governance and decision-making processes. The recent proposal
 by  the  education  department  and  the board of regents to mandate the
 development and implementation of regionalization plans, as outlined  in
 part  one  hundred  twenty-four of the commissioner of education's regu-
 lations, threatens to undermine local control,  dilute  the  quality  of
 education, and impose significant administrative burdens on local school
 districts.  The  intent of this act is to preserve the autonomy of local
 school districts by prohibiting any  state-mandated  regionalization  of
 local school districts.
   §  3.  The  education law is amended by adding a new section 1527-b to
 read as follows:
   § 1527-B. MANDATORY  REGIONALIZATION  PLANS  PROHIBITED.  1.  FOR  THE
 PURPOSES  OF  THIS  SECTION,  THE  TERM "MANDATORY REGIONALIZATION PLAN"
 SHALL MEAN ANY RULE OR POLICY THAT REQUIRES THE  SHARING  OF  RESOURCES,
 ADMINISTRATIVE  OPERATIONS,  OR INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES AMONG TWO OR MORE
 SCHOOL DISTRICTS, BOARDS OF COOPERATIVE  EDUCATIONAL  SERVICES  (BOCES),
 CHARTER  SCHOOLS,  PRIVATE SCHOOLS, OR ANY COMBINATION THEREOF, PURSUANT
 TO A REGULATION, ORDER, OR DIRECTIVE ISSUED  BY  THE  COMMISSIONER,  THE
 DEPARTMENT, OR THE BOARD OF REGENTS.
   2.  (A)  NO LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT SHALL BE REQUIRED BY ANY REGULATION,
 RULE, OR POLICY OF THE COMMISSIONER, THE DEPARTMENT,  OR  THE  BOARD  OF
 REGENTS  TO DEVELOP, IMPLEMENT, OR PARTICIPATE IN A MANDATORY REGIONALI-
 ZATION PLAN, INCLUDING BUT  NOT  LIMITED  TO  MANDATORY  REGIONALIZATION
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD16294-01-4
 S. 9944                             2
 
 PLANS  RELATED  TO  SHARED RESOURCES, OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES, OR JOINT
 EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS.
   (B)  THE  DEPARTMENT  AND THE BOARD OF REGENTS SHALL NOT ENACT, IMPLE-
 MENT, OR ENFORCE ANY REGULATION, RULE, OR  POLICY  THAT  REQUIRES  LOCAL
 SCHOOL  DISTRICTS  TO  DEVELOP, IMPLEMENT, OR PARTICIPATE IN A MANDATORY
 REGIONALIZATION PLAN.
   3. ANY REGULATION ENACTED OR PROPOSED BY THE COMMISSIONER THAT RELATES
 TO BOARDS OF COOPERATIVE EDUCATIONAL SERVICES (BOCES) AND  REQUIRES  THE
 DEVELOPMENT  OF REGIONALIZATION PLANS BY LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS SHALL BE
 DEEMED NULL AND VOID. THE DEPARTMENT AND THE BOARD OF REGENTS SHALL  NOT
 MAKE ANY EFFORT TO IMPLEMENT ANY SUCH REGULATION.
   4.  NOTHING IN THIS SECTION SHALL PROHIBIT LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS FROM
 VOLUNTARILY ENTERING INTO AGREEMENTS OR PARTNERSHIPS RELATED  TO  SHARED
 SERVICES  WITH OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS, BOARDS OF COOPERATIVE EDUCATIONAL
 SERVICES (BOCES), CHARTER SCHOOLS, AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS.
   5. LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS SHALL RETAIN FULL AUTONOMY OVER SUCH  SCHOOL
 DISTRICT'S  GOVERNANCE,  BUDGETING,  AND  OPERATIONAL  DECISIONS WITHOUT
 INTERFERENCE BY THE DEPARTMENT PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION.
   § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.

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Senate Bill S9944

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Rules Committee

co-Sponsors

2023-S9944 (ACTIVE) - Details

2023-S9944 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2023-S9944 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2023-S9944 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

Senate Bill S9944

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Sponsored By

Jack M. Martins

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Rules Committee

co-Sponsors

Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick

Steven D. Rhoads

2023-S9944 (ACTIVE) - Details

2023-S9944 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2023-S9944 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2023-S9944 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments