Senator Funke fights to protect schools from unfunded state mandates that are imposed after the adoption of school budgets in a fiscal year

In a move that would provide financial stability to all public schools in New York State, the Senate approved S.1020, legislation sponsored by Senator Rich Funke that would assist school districts struggling with costly mandates. Under the proposed bill, any new law or regulation that imposed spending requirements on a school district would be forbidden in that fiscal year once a school budget has been adopted.

Senator Funke: “This bill protects public schools by assuring them that they won’t have to figure out how to pay for a state mandate that wasn’t budgeted into their plan because of poor planning on the state’s part.”

Without allotted funding, and in some cases no funding, unexpected costs imposed by New York State could force districts to reduce or eliminate programs, services and staff. With the tax cap in place to protect hardworking property owners, it is more important than ever that the State act to protect local school districts and governments from the impacts of costly state mandates.

This bill has cleared the Senate in three consecutive years without action by the Assembly.

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