S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  6903--A
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              March 18, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. BRONSON, R. CARROLL, HEVESI, RAGA, COLTON -- read
   once and referred to the Committee on Libraries and Education Technol-
   ogy  --  committee  discharged,  bill  amended,  ordered  reprinted as
   amended and recommitted to said committee
 
 AN ACT to amend the labor law and the  education  law,  in  relation  to
   requiring  public  and  not-for-profit libraries develop and implement
   programs to protect library employees
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  The  labor law is amended by adding a new section 27-f to
 read as follows:
   § 27-F. DUTY OF LIBRARIES TO IMPLEMENT PROGRAMS TO  PREVENT  WORKPLACE
 VIOLENCE. 1. DEFINITIONS. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION:
   (A)  "LIBRARY" SHALL MEAN ANY PUBLIC, ASSOCIATION, OR FREE LIBRARY, AS
 DEFINED BY SECTION TWO HUNDRED FIFTY-THREE  OF  THE  EDUCATION  LAW,  OR
 LIBRARY HAVING TAX EXEMPT STATUS UNDER SECTION 501 (C) (3) OF THE UNITED
 STATES  INTERNAL  REVENUE  CODE,  LOCATED IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK OR THE
 STATE OF NEW YORK.
   (B) "LIBRARY EMPLOYEE" MEANS  AN  INDIVIDUAL  WHO  IS  EMPLOYED  BY  A
 LIBRARY.
   (C)  "WORKPLACE"  MEANS  ANY  LOCATION  AWAY FROM A LIBRARY EMPLOYEE'S
 DOMICILE, PERMANENT OR TEMPORARY, WHERE A LIBRARY EMPLOYEE PERFORMS  ANY
 WORK-RELATED  DUTY  IN  THE  COURSE  OF  SUCH EMPLOYEE'S EMPLOYMENT BY A
 LIBRARY.
   (D) "COMMUNITY  VIOLENCE  INTERRUPTER"  MEANS  INDIVIDUALS  CONSIDERED
 CREDIBLE  MESSENGERS  WITHIN  A  GIVEN  COMMUNITY EMPLOYED BY A LIBRARY,
 WHOSE MAIN JOB FUNCTION IS  FOCUSED  ON  INTERVENING  BEFORE  CRISES  OR
 VIOLENCE ERUPT AND/OR ESCALATE, AND WHO CONNECT HIGH-RISK INDIVIDUALS TO
 EXTENSIVE  NETWORKS THAT PROVIDE JOB TRAINING, EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES,
 MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND/OR LEGAL SERVICES TO INCREASE THE  LIKELIHOOD
 OF  LONG-TERM  VIOLENCE  REDUCTION.  COMMUNITY VIOLENCE INTERRUPTERS ARE
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD07317-02-5
              

 A. 6903--A                          2
 
 EXPECTED TO MEDIATE ACTIVE  OR  UNFOLDING  CONFLICTS  BETWEEN  COMMUNITY
 MEMBERS  FOR  THE  PURPOSE  OF  PREVENTING  OR MITIGATING THE OCCURRENCE
 AND/OR ESCALATION OF VIOLENCE.
   2. RISK EVALUATION AND DETERMINATION. EVERY LIBRARY SHALL EVALUATE ITS
 WORKPLACE  OR  WORKPLACES  TO DETERMINE THE PRESENCE OF FACTORS OR SITU-
 ATIONS IN SUCH WORKPLACE OR WORKPLACES THAT MIGHT PLACE LIBRARY  EMPLOY-
 EES  AT  RISK OF WORKPLACE VIOLENCE, CONSISTENT WITH SECTION TWENTY-SEV-
 EN-B OF THIS ARTICLE AND SECTION  TWO  HUNDRED  OF  THIS  CHAPTER.  SUCH
 FACTORS SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
   (A) WORKING LATE NIGHT OR EARLY MORNING HOURS;
   (B) WORKING ALONE OR IN SMALL NUMBERS;
   (C) UNCONTROLLED ACCESS TO THE WORKPLACE; AND
   (D) AREAS OF PREVIOUS SECURITY PROBLEMS.
   3.  WRITTEN  WORKPLACE  VIOLENCE PREVENTION POLICY. (A) EVERY LIBRARY,
 REGARDLESS OF SITE OR TYPE, SHALL DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A WRITTEN  WORK-
 PLACE  VIOLENCE  PREVENTION  POLICY FOR ITS WORKPLACE OR WORKPLACES THAT
 INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING:
   (I) A LIST OF THE RISK FACTORS, SUCH AS THOSE IDENTIFIED  IN  SUBDIVI-
 SION  TWO  OF  THIS SECTION, THAT ARE PRESENT IN SUCH WORKPLACE OR WORK-
 PLACES;
   (II) THE METHODS THE LIBRARY WILL USE TO PREVENT  INCIDENTS  OF  WORK-
 PLACE VIOLENCE AT SUCH WORKPLACE OR WORKPLACES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMIT-
 ED TO THE FOLLOWING:
   (1) MAKING HIGH-RISK AREAS MORE VISIBLE TO MORE PEOPLE;
   (2) INSTALLING GOOD EXTERNAL LIGHTING;
   (3) PROVIDING EMPLOYEE TRAINING; AND
   (4)  ESTABLISHING  AND IMPLEMENTING REPORTING SYSTEMS FOR INCIDENTS OF
 WORKPLACE VIOLENCE.
   (B) EVERY LIBRARY SHALL MAKE THE WRITTEN WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PREVENTION
 POLICY AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST TO ITS  LIBRARY  EMPLOYEES,  SUCH  LIBRARY
 EMPLOYEES'  DESIGNATED  REPRESENTATIVES,  AND  THE  DEPARTMENT.  LIBRARY
 EMPLOYEES SHALL BE PROVIDED A WRITTEN COPY  OF  THE  WORKPLACE  VIOLENCE
 PREVENTION  POLICY  UPON HIRE. SUCH WRITTEN POLICY SHALL BE AVAILABLE IN
 ENGLISH, SPANISH AND ANY OTHER LANGUAGE REQUESTED BY A LIBRARY  EMPLOYEE
 WITHIN THIRTY DAYS OF SUCH REQUEST.
   4.  LIBRARY  EMPLOYEE  INFORMATION  AND  TRAINING.  THE DEPARTMENT, IN
 CONSULTATION WITH RELEVANT GROUPS AS DEEMED NECESSARY, SHALL  PRODUCE  A
 MODEL  WORKPLACE  VIOLENCE  PREVENTION  TRAINING  PROGRAM. EVERY LIBRARY
 SHALL UTILIZE THE MODEL WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PREVENTION  TRAINING  PROGRAM
 PURSUANT   TO   THIS  SUBDIVISION  OR  ESTABLISH  A  WORKPLACE  VIOLENCE
 PREVENTION TRAINING PROGRAM THAT EQUALS OR EXCEEDS THE MINIMUM STANDARDS
 PROVIDED BY SUCH MODEL TRAINING PROGRAM. THE DEPARTMENT'S MODEL TRAINING
 PROGRAM SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
   (A) INFORMATION ON THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SECTION;
   (B) EXAMPLES OF MEASURES LIBRARY EMPLOYEES CAN USE  TO  PROTECT  THEM-
 SELVES  WHEN  FACED  WITH  WORKPLACE  VIOLENCE  FROM  CUSTOMERS OR OTHER
 COWORKERS;
   (C) DE-ESCALATION TACTICS;
   (D) ACTIVE SHOOTER DRILLS;
   (E) EMERGENCY PROCEDURES;
   (F) INSTRUCTION ON THE USE OF  SECURITY  ALARMS,  PANIC  BUTTONS,  AND
 OTHER RELATED EMERGENCY DEVICES;
   (G) TRAINING FOR PEOPLE IN MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS; AND
   (H) TRAUMA AND GRIEF COUNSELING SUPPORT FOR EMPLOYEES.
   5.  CONDUCT  OF TRAININGS.  ALL TRAINING SHALL BE CONDUCTED IN ENGLISH
 AS WELL AS THE PRIMARY LANGUAGES SPOKEN  BY  LIBRARY  EMPLOYEES  IN  THE
 A. 6903--A                          3
 
 WORKPLACE.  EVERY  LIBRARY SHALL PROVIDE ITS LIBRARY EMPLOYEES WITH SUCH
 WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PREVENTION TRAINING AT THE TIME OF HIRING AND ANNUAL-
 LY THEREAFTER. WHEN PROVIDING SUCH WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PREVENTION  TRAIN-
 ING,  EACH  LIBRARY  SHALL  ALSO  INFORM  THEIR LIBRARY EMPLOYEES OF THE
 DETAILS AND LOCATION OF THE WRITTEN WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PREVENTION POLICY
 DEVELOPED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION. EACH LIBRARY SHALL INCLUDE THE  RISK
 FACTORS  SPECIFIC  TO  SUCH EMPLOYER'S WORKPLACE OR WORKPLACES, MEASURES
 LIBRARY EMPLOYEES CAN TAKE TO PROTECT THEMSELVES FROM SUCH RISKS IDENTI-
 FIED IN SUCH WRITTEN  WORKPLACE  VIOLENCE  PREVENTION  POLICY,  AND  ANY
 PROCEDURES THE LIBRARY HAS IMPLEMENTED TO PROTECT LIBRARY EMPLOYEES.
   6.  DOCUMENTATION OF WORKPLACE VIOLENCE INCIDENTS. EVERY LIBRARY SHALL
 DOCUMENT EACH INCIDENT OF WORKPLACE VIOLENCE AND SHALL MAINTAIN  A  COPY
 OF  SUCH DOCUMENTATION FOR A MINIMUM OF THREE YEARS AFTER EACH INCIDENT.
 EVERY LIBRARY SHALL PROVIDE  DOCUMENTATION  OF  SUCH  INCIDENTS  TO  THE
 DEPARTMENT  UPON  REQUEST  AND  SHALL  REMOVE ANY PERSONALLY IDENTIFYING
 INFORMATION FROM SUCH DOCUMENTATION BEFORE DELIVERING IT TO THE  DEPART-
 MENT.
   7.  ANNUAL  REVIEW. EVERY LIBRARY SHALL REVIEW THE NUMBER AND SCOPE OF
 WORKPLACE VIOLENCE INCIDENTS  ANNUALLY  AND  SHALL  MAKE  ANY  NECESSARY
 CHANGES   TO   THE  WRITTEN  WORKPLACE  VIOLENCE  PREVENTION  POLICY  AS
 PRESCRIBED BY SUBDIVISION THREE OF THIS SECTION.
   8. PANIC BUTTONS. EVERY LIBRARY SHALL INSTALL PANIC BUTTONS AT  EASILY
 ACCESSIBLE  LOCATIONS  THROUGHOUT  THE  WORKPLACE OR WORKPLACES. FOR THE
 PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, "PANIC BUTTON" SHALL MEAN  A  PHYSICAL  BUTTON
 THAT  WHEN  PRESSED  IMMEDIATELY DISPATCHES LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TO THE
 WORKPLACE.  LIBRARIES THAT IDENTIFY A BETTER OR  MORE  IMMEDIATE  OPTION
 THAT PROVIDES THE SAME PROTECTION MAY OBTAIN PERMISSION FROM THE DEPART-
 MENT TO IMPLEMENT SUCH ALTERNATE MEASURE OR MEASURES.
   9.  SECURITY  GUARDS  AND COMMUNITY VIOLENCE INTERRUPTERS.   LIBRARIES
 THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED A CERTAIN NUMBER OF  VIOLENT  INCIDENTS  IN  THEIR
 WORKPLACE  OR WORKPLACES IN A GIVEN PERIOD OF TIME, AS DETERMINED BY THE
 DEPARTMENT, SHALL BE REQUIRED TO HAVE  A  SECURITY  GUARD  OR  COMMUNITY
 VIOLENCE  INTERRUPTER  PRESENT  AT THE IMPACTED LOCATION OF SUCH LIBRARY
 DURING ALL HOURS IN WHICH SUCH LIBRARY IS OPEN.
   10. THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION SHALL NOT DIMINISH ANY OTHER  OBLI-
 GATION  OF  A LIBRARY OTHERWISE PROVIDED UNDER LAW, RULE, OR REGULATION,
 OR UNDER A COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT.
   11. WITHIN ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY DAYS  OF  THE  EFFECTIVE  DATE  OF  THIS
 SECTION, THE COMMISSIONER SHALL ADOPT RULES AND REGULATIONS NECESSARY TO
 IMPLEMENT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION.
   §  2.  Section  305  of  the  education law is amended by adding a new
 subdivision 63 to read as follows:
   63. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL PROMULGATE RULES AND  REGULATIONS  FOR  THE
 PROTECTION  AND  GENERAL  WELL-BEING  OF  LIBRARY  EMPLOYEES  IN  PUBLIC
 LIBRARIES ESTABLISHED UNDER PART TWO OF ARTICLE FIVE OF THIS  TITLE  AND
 NOT-FOR-PROFIT  LIBRARIES HAVING TAX EXEMPT STATUS UNDER SECTION 501 (C)
 (3)  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES  INTERNAL REVENUE CODE, CONSISTENT WITH THE
 PROVISIONS OF SECTION TWENTY-SEVEN-F OF THE LABOR LAW.
   § 3. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day  after  it  shall
 have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or
 repeal  of  any  rule  or regulation necessary for the implementation of
 this act on its effective date are authorized to be made  and  completed
 on or before such effective date.