NY State Senate Bill 2025-S7489

Senate Bill S7489

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Provides for temporary exemptions to educational institutions from certain requirements related to the multi-occupancy bathrooms and locker rooms; and authorizes funding for related improvements

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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
Apr 17, 2025	referred to education

co-Sponsors

2025-S7489 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Education
Law Section:: Executive

2025-S7489 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Provides for temporary exemptions to educational institutions from certain requirements related to the use of multi-occupancy bathrooms and locker rooms; authorizes the use of state building aid for related facility improvements.

2025-S7489 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S7489

SPONSOR: WALCZYK
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to provide for temporary exemptions to educational institutions
from certain requirements related to the use of multi-occupancy bath-
rooms and locker rooms; and to authorize the use of state building aid
for related facility improvements

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

To provide a temporary exemption for educational institutions from
certain GENDA requirements related to multi-occupancy bathroom and lock-
er-room use by certain individuals until such school converts, reno-
vates, or newly constructs facilities that ensure a private, inclusive,
and comfortable environment for all students.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1: Legislative intent

Section 2: Definitions

Section 3: Provides for a temporary exemption for educational insti-
tutions to certain GENDA requirements.

Section 4: Clarifies that conversion, renovation, 'or construction
projects that are necessary to provide private, inclusive, and comforta-
ble spaces are eligible for State Building Aid.

Section 5: Severability clause.

Section 6: Effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Schools are having difficulty navigating through conflicting require-
ments relating to bathroom and locker-room accessibility.  Federal and
state orders have significantly differing positions on the legalities
related to accommodations provided to transgender students. Local
schools are in a position where they could face consequences from either
governmental entity. School administrators are looking for answers, and
this measure is a step to provide them with necessary support.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

2025-S7489 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7489
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              April 17, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. WALCZYK -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
 
 AN ACT to provide for temporary exemptions to  educational  institutions
   from  certain requirements related to the use of multi-occupancy bath-
   rooms and locker rooms; and to authorize the use of state building aid
   for related facility improvements
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1. Legislative intent. It is the intent of the Legislature to
 ensure that all students in New York State educational institutions have
 access to private, inclusive, and comfortable bathroom and  locker  room
 facilities.  This  act provides that all educational institutions in the
 state of New York shall be exempt from the requirement to permit the use
 of multi-occupancy bathrooms and locker rooms until such facilities  are
 converted,  renovated,  or newly constructed to ensure a private, inclu-
 sive, and comfortable environment for all students.
   § 2. Definitions. For the purposes of this act,  the  following  terms
 shall have the following meanings:
   (a)  "Educational institution" means any public school district, char-
 ter school, board of cooperative educational services, or  other  entity
 authorized  to  provide kindergarten through twelfth grade public educa-
 tion in the state.
   (b)  "Multi-occupancy  bathroom  or  locker  room"  means  a  facility
 designed  for simultaneous use by more than one individual and customar-
 ily designated for use based on gender.
   (c) "Private, inclusive, and comfortable space" means  a  bathroom  or
 locker  room  facility  designed to allow all students access to privacy
 and inclusivity regardless of gender identity or  expression,  including
 but not limited to single-occupancy or individually partitioned spaces.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD11678-01-5
 S. 7489                             2

   (d)  "Transgender"  means  a person whose gender identity differs from
 the gender identity typically associated with the sex they were assigned
 at birth.
   §  3.  Temporary  exemption.  (a)  All educational institutions in the
 state shall be temporarily exempt  from  any  state-imposed  requirement
 pursuant  to  subdivision  four of section two hundred ninety-six of the
 executive law related to allowing unrestricted  use  of  multi-occupancy
 bathrooms  and  locker  rooms by transgender students until such time as
 the relevant facilities are converted, renovated, or  newly  constructed
 to provide private, inclusive, and comfortable spaces for all students.
   (b)  This  exemption shall remain in effect for each institution until
 the completion of the necessary facility modifications as  described  in
 subdivision (a) of this section.
   §  4. Funding. (a) School districts and other educational institutions
 shall be eligible for state building aid pursuant to subdivision six  of
 section  three  thousand six hundred two of the education law to support
 the costs of converting, renovating, or constructing bathroom and locker
 room facilities to provide private, inclusive,  and  comfortable  spaces
 for all students.
   (b)  The  commissioner of education shall provide guidance on eligible
 expenses and procedures  for  obtaining  state  building  aid  for  such
 purposes.
   § 5. Severability clause. If any provision of this act or its applica-
 tion  to  any person, legal entity, or circumstance is held invalid, the
 remainder of the act or  the  application  of  the  provision  to  other
 persons, legal entities or circumstances shall not be affected.
   § 6. This act shall take effect immediately.

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Senate Bill S7489

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Sponsored By

Mark Walczyk