Griffo calls for moratorium on electric school bus mandate

As school districts in New York grapple with how to deal with a state mandate requiring all new school buses purchased be zero-emission by 2027 and all school buses in operation be electric by 2035, state Sen. Joseph Griffo, R-C-Rome, is calling for a moratorium on this deadline until this policy can be reexamined and a more reasonable and realistic approach determined.  

“This is a large mandate on schools and many, particularly smaller and more rural districts in upstate, are going to struggle with it,” said Sen. Griffo, who did not support this initiative. “There needs to be reasonable timelines and expectations and it must be affordable or else we will see taxpayers burdened even more. By suspending this mandate, we can gather additional input from all stakeholders – something that the legislative majorities have failed to do too often when it comes to policies that they support and pass - and figure out the best and most realistic approach to accomplish the objective that has been laid out.” 

In an effort to provide relief to schools and local governments who have been handcuffed by unfunded state mandates, Sen. Griffo has again introduced legislation (S1444) that would impose an immediate moratorium on unfunded state mandates and would require that any state-mandated program imposed on municipalities and school districts be funded by the state.  

The legislation also would establish a mandate review council to review existing state mandates on local governments and schools. This will help eliminate unnecessary, onerous and burdensome mandates, further easing the fiscal constraints that such policies have on local governments, school districts and taxpayers. 

The bill is currently in the Senate’s Standing Committee on Local Government.  

“Local municipalities and school districts already face enough fiscal challenges that they shouldn’t be burdened further because of mandates from New York State,” Sen. Griffo said. “My bill seeks to protect our municipalities and school districts from unfunded mandates and allows local officials to reduce costs and set their own priorities.” 

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