S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
7952--A
2015-2016 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
June 2, 2015
___________
Introduced by M. of A. BRINDISI, RYAN -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Education -- recommitted to the Committee on Education in
accordance with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 -- committee discharged, bill
amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said commit-
tee
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to enacting the "digital
citizenship act"
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 "digital
citizenship act".
S 2. Section 2 of the education law is amended by adding a new subdi-
vision 25 to read as follows:
25. DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP. THE TERM "DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP" SHALL MEAN THE
STATUS ACCORDING THE RIGHTS, RESPONSIBILITIES, LIBERTIES AND PRIVILEGES
ASSOCIATED WITH THE LAWFUL PARTICIPATION IN, AND USE OF, INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY, ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION AND SOCIAL NETWORKING TOOLS IN A
MANNER CONSISTENT WITH ARTICLE TWO OF THIS CHAPTER.
S 3. Subdivision 5 of section 14 of the education law, as amended by
chapter 90 of the laws of 2013, is amended to read as follows:
5. The commissioner shall prescribe regulations that school profes-
sionals applying on or after December thirty-first, two thousand thir-
teen for a certificate or license, including but not limited to a
certificate or license valid for service as a classroom teacher, school
counselor, school psychologist, school social worker, school administra-
tor or supervisor or superintendent of schools shall, in addition to all
other certification or licensing requirements, have completed training
on the social patterns of harassment, bullying and discrimination, as
defined in section eleven of this article, including but not limited to
those acts based on a person's actual or perceived race, color, weight,
national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, disability,
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10630-04-6
A. 7952--A 2
sexual orientation, gender or sex, the identification and mitigation of
harassment, bullying and discrimination, and strategies for effectively
addressing problems of exclusion, bias and aggression in educational
settings. SUCH SCHOOL PROFESSIONALS SHALL FURTHER BE REQUIRED TO TAKE A
SIX HOUR COURSE ON THE NORMS OF DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP, LEGAL ISSUES
PERTAINING TO INTERNET USE, THE RESPONSIBLE USE OF ONLINE INFORMATION,
UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACT OF ONE'S DIGITAL FOOTPRINT, DISTINGUISHING
BETWEEN VARIOUS MEDIA SOURCES AND PRIVACY ISSUES PERTAINING TO THE USE
OF TECHNOLOGY.
S 4. Section 801-a of the education law, as amended by chapter 102 of
the laws of 2012, is amended to read as follows:
S 801-a. Instruction in civility, citizenship and character education.
The regents shall ensure that the course of instruction in grades
kindergarten through twelve includes a component on civility, citizen-
ship and character education. Such component shall instruct students on
the principles of honesty, tolerance, personal responsibility, respect
for others, with an emphasis on discouraging acts of harassment, bully-
ing, discrimination, observance of laws and rules, courtesy, dignity and
other traits which will enhance the quality of their experiences in, and
contributions to, the community. Such component shall include instruc-
tion of safe, responsible use of the internet [and], PERSONAL ELECTRONIC
DEVICES, electronic communications AND UNDERSTANDING THE SOCIAL, PSYCHO-
LOGICAL AND BEHAVIORAL IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY. The regents shall determine
how to incorporate such component in existing curricula and the commis-
sioner shall promulgate any regulations needed to carry out such deter-
mination of the regents. For the purposes of this section, "tolerance,"
"respect for others" and "dignity" shall include awareness and sensitiv-
ity to harassment, bullying, discrimination and civility in the
relations of people of different races, weights, national origins,
ethnic groups, religions, religious practices, mental or physical abili-
ties, sexual orientations, genders, and sexes.
S 5. Subdivision 1 of section 814 of the education law, as added by
chapter 526 of the laws of 2006, is amended to read as follows:
1. [Any school district] SCHOOL DISTRICTS in the state [may] SHALL
provide, to pupils in grades kindergarten through twelve, instruction
designed to promote the proper and safe use of the internet AND THE
NORMS OF DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP.
S 6. Section 3641 of the education law is amended by adding a new
subdivision 17 to read as follows:
17. FUNDING FOR DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP. NO SCHOOL DISTRICT SHALL RECEIVE
FUNDING PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION FOR AN EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY PROJECT,
CLASSROOM TECHNOLOGY PROJECT OR SCHOOL SAFETY AND SECURITY TECHNOLOGY
PROJECT IF SUCH SCHOOL DISTRICT IS NOT PROVIDING THE INSTRUCTION
REQUIRED BY SUBDIVISION ONE OF SECTION EIGHT HUNDRED FOURTEEN OF THIS
CHAPTER.
S 7. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
it shall have become a law.