BILL NUMBER:  S7664

 TITLE OF BILL :  An act to amend chapter 507 of the laws of 1974,
relating to providing for the apportionment of state monies to certain
nonpublic schools, to reimburse them for their expenses in complying
with certain state requirements for the administration of state
testing and evaluation programs and for participation in state
programs for the reporting of basic educational data, in relation to
the state's immunization program

 PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL :

To help ensure that the state's immunization program is being fully
implemented in nonpublic schools and to ensure that state
reimbursement reflects the actual costs incurred by schools.

 SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS :

Section 1 of the bill amends section three of chapter 507 of the laws
of 1974, as amended by chapter 903 of the laws of 1984, to remove the
arbitrary cap on reimbursement to nonpublic schools in the cities of
Buffalo, Rochester and New York for the cost of complying with the
state's immunization program and to ensure that all nonpublic schools
are fully reimbursed for implementation of the state's immunization
program and similar health related requirements.

              

Section 2 of the bill provides that this act shall take effect
immediately.

 JUSTIFICATION :

In 1984, lawmakers enacted an amendment to the original Mandated
Services statute, to require the state to reimburse nonpublic schools
in the Cities of New York, Buffalo and Rochester for their actual
costs in complying with the state's immunization verification and
reporting program. However, although the original statute requires
reimbursement of actual costs of all other mandates, the reimbursement
for complying with the immunization program was capped at 60 cents per
student and has remained ever since.

The costs associated with the state's immunization program have
increased dramatically since 1984, especially considering the rise in
staff salaries; the requirement of additional vaccinations; and the
mandate to check on intervals between doses and follow-up if the
correct intervals were not met. School officials are required to
ascertain whether new pupils and those already enrolled in the school
have received the adequate doses of a growing list of vaccinations
required pursuant to Public Health law 2164, and to check the
intervals between doses of vaccinations, and follow-up if a dose was
not given at the appropriate time. In addition, schools must record
and report this information to the city/state Health Departments
annually. In addition, many school districts are unable to provide
nonpublic schools with nurses who would otherwise carry out these
responsibilities.

The immunization requirement is the only mandate under the Mandated
Services Reimbursement program which is not reimbursed based on actual
costs. Full reimbursement is necessary to help ensure that schools are
properly fulfilling their responsibilities related to immunizations
and student health.

 PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

New bill

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :
None

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
This act shall take effect immediately.