S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                   506

                       2009-2010 Regular Sessions

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                               (PREFILED)

                             January 7, 2009
                               ___________

Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  KAVANAGH, ALFANO, PAULIN, PEOPLES, BENJAMIN,
  EDDINGTON, CAMARA, WRIGHT, ROBINSON, ESPAILLAT, GREENE --  Multi-Spon-
  sored by -- M. of A. BARRA, DIAZ, GOTTFRIED, McENENY, PHEFFER, WEISEN-
  BERG -- read once and referred to the Committee on Education

AN  ACT  to  amend  the  education  law,  in  relation to creating a gun
  violence prevention program

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section  1.  This  act  shall  be  known  and may be cited as the "gun
violence prevention act".
  S 2. Legislative intent. Gunshot injuries are a major cause  of  death
for children and adolescents in the United States, accounting for twelve
percent  of  all  premature  deaths. Further, for every young person who
dies as the result of  a  gunshot  injury,  five  others  are  seriously
injured  by  a  gunshot.  Concentrated  efforts in the areas of drug and
alcohol abuse prevention have demonstrated that preventive education can
reduce risks for youth. But although  there  are  many  drug  prevention
programs, there are few gun violence prevention programs in existence.
  The intent of the legislature in enacting the "gun violence prevention
act"  is  to implement a gun violence prevention program for school-aged
youth and  their  families  to  help  young  people  to  develop  victim
prevention  skills  and to rehearse behaviors needed to manage problems,
such as conflict and peer pressure,  non-violently,  without  guns.  The
program  would  not  oppose  gun ownership or the well-supervised use of
guns for hunting or sport.
  S 3. The education law is amended by adding a new  section  3204-a  to
read as follows:
  S  3204-A.  GUN  VIOLENCE  PREVENTION  PROGRAM.  1. THE DEPARTMENT, IN
CONSULTATION WITH LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS, THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH,  THE
DIVISION  OF  CRIMINAL JUSTICE SERVICES, THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                           LBD00895-01-9

A. 506                              2

CONSERVATION, AND ANY OTHER EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, IS AUTHORIZED AND
DIRECTED TO DEVELOP AND MAKE AVAILABLE TO LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS  A  GUN
VIOLENCE  PREVENTION  PROGRAM.    THE  PROGRAM  SHALL INCLUDE: PRACTICAL
SKILLS  WHICH  STUDENTS CAN USE OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM; OPPORTUNITIES FOR
SELF-REFLECTION  AND  ROLE-PLAY  OF  STUDENTS'  COPING  MECHANISMS   AND
EMOTIONS;  STUDENT-SET  GOALS  FOR CHANGE; THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMPETENCY
AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS TO ADDRESS ISSUES WITH PEERS  AND  THE  COMMUNITY;
AND PARENTAL AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND SUPPORT IN THE PROGRAM.
  2.  EVERY  SCHOOL  MAY  INSTRUCT  STUDENTS IN PRE-KINDERGARTEN THROUGH
TWELFTH GRADE WITH RESPECT TO GUN VIOLENCE  PREVENTION  USING  MATERIALS
PROVIDED  BY  THE  DEPARTMENT  FOR SUCH PURPOSE. EACH SCHOOL ELECTING TO
PROVIDE SUCH INSTRUCTION MAY REQUEST INFORMATION AND RESOURCES  THEREFOR
FROM THE DEPARTMENT PURSUANT TO THIS ARTICLE.
  3.  THE  DEPARTMENT  SHALL  PROVIDE  A  REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR AND THE
LEGISLATURE ON OR BEFORE JULY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND ELEVEN, ASSESSING  THE
RESULTS  OF  THE GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAM ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO
THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION. THE REPORT SHALL INCLUDE FINDINGS AS  TO
THE  PROGRAM'S  IMPACT  ON  REDUCING GUNSHOT INJURIES AMONG CHILDREN AND
ADOLESCENTS AND SHALL  OFFER  RECOMMENDATIONS  AS  TO  WHETHER  THE  GUN
VIOLENCE  PREVENTION PROGRAM SHOULD BE EXPANDED, MODIFIED, OR ELIMINATED
AND WHETHER OR NOT OTHER GUN  VIOLENCE  PREVENTION  PROGRAMS  SHOULD  BE
AUTHORIZED.
  S 4. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
it shall have become a law.