NY State Senate Bill 2017-S7816

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Rules Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Actions

View Actions

Date of Action	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jun 20, 2018	committed to rules
Jun 04, 2018	advanced to third reading
May 31, 2018	2nd report cal.
May 30, 2018	1st report cal.1373
Mar 06, 2018	print number 7816a
Mar 06, 2018	amend (t) and recommit to finance
Feb 28, 2018	referred to finance

Votes

- May 30, 2018 - Finance Committee Vote
  S7816
  
  Aye
  
  28
  
  Nay
  
  0
  
  Aye with Reservations
  
  9
  
  Absent
  
  0
  
  Excused
  
  0
  
  Abstained
  
  0
  - - Finance Committee Vote: May 30, 2018
      
      aye (28)
      
      Avella
      
      Boyle
      
      Breslin
      
      Carlucci
      
      Comrie
      
      Felder
      
      Gallivan
      
      Golden
      
      Griffo
      
      Hannon
      
      Kaminsky
      
      Kennedy
      
      Lanza
      
      Larkin
      
      Little
      
      Marcellino
      
      Marchione
      
      Montgomery
      
      O'Mara
      
      Peralta
      
      Ranzenhofer
      
      Ritchie
      
      Robach
      
      Savino
      
      Seward
      
      Stavisky
      
      Valesky
      
      Young
      
      aye wr (9)
      
      Bailey
      
      Benjamin
      
      Bonacic
      
      Dilan
      
      Krueger
      
      LaValle
      
      Parker
      
      Persaud
      
      Rivera

Bill Amendments

Original

A (Active)

2017-S7816 - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Rules
Law Section:: Executive Law
Laws Affected:: Add §214-f, Exec L; amd §§305 & 3602, Ed L

2017-S7816 - Summary

Relates to authorizing certain school personnel to wear personal safety alarms, a wearable device that once activated, by the pressing of an emergency button, alerts first responders of an emergency.

2017-S7816 - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S7816

SPONSOR: RITCHIE
 
TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the executive law and the education
law, in relation to requiring certain school personnel to wear personal
safety alarms

 
PURPOSE:

To establish school safety standards that provide teachers and other
school personnel who have significant contact with students, with
personal safety alarms to be used in emergency situations

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section one amends the executive law, creating a new section 214-f to
establish a program which will equip teachers and other school personnel
who have daily contact with students, with personal safety alarms to be
used in cases of emergency.

Section two amends the education law, section 305, to have the commis-

sioner of education to promulgate rules and regulations to provide for
the distribution of safety buttons to teachers and other personnel who
interact with students; also defines "personal safety alarm" and calls
for an annual report from the Commissioner of Education regarding the
distribution of the alarms.

Section three amends the education law, section 3602, to make the cost
of the safety buttons an aidable expense.

Section four provides the effective date.

 
EXISTING LAW:

Existing New York state law does not provide for personal safety alarms
for teachers or other school personnel

 
JUSTIFICATION:

The safety of our children, especially when they are at school, must be
our top priority.

One way to enhance the security of our classrooms and our children, is
to provide every teacher with a very simple device - a wearable,
personal safety alarm which can be instantly used to alert school admin-
istrators in the event of an emergency.

This simple device could be used not only during the tragedy of an
active school shooting situation, but also in cases of medical emergen-
cies, fights or other types of violence in classrooms.

Teachers often witness violence but may not have the ability to inter-
vene or signal for help without putting themselves in danger.  Estab-
lishing a safer environment by providing an easy method for teachers to
signal for help with safety buttons is a starting point to help reduce
everyday violence. Such safety devices can be integrated into existing
school security systems to provide an increase in safety of teachers and
students.

While this is a simple device, in stressful, emergency situations, time
is of the essence, and a simple device like a safety button can be much
more effective than expecting a teacher to struggle with more compli-
cated technology like navigating an app on a smartphone, or having to
remember an intercom button sequence.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

None. This is new legislation.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined. Provides for the purchase of personal safety buttons
to be an aidable expense

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it becomes law, provided
that effective immediately, the addition, amendment or repeal of any
rule or regulation necessary for implementation be completed before the
effective date.

2017-S7816 - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7816
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 28, 2018
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. RITCHIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance
 
 AN ACT to amend the executive law and the education law, in relation  to
   requiring certain school personnel to wear personal safety alarms
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. The executive law is amended by adding a new section  214-f
 to read as follows:
   §  214-F.  SCHOOL SAFETY. THE SUPERINTENDENT, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE
 COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION, SHALL ESTABLISH A SCHOOL  SAFETY  PROGRAM  IN
 WHICH  TEACHERS  AND  OTHER  SCHOOL PERSONNEL WHO HAVE SIGNIFICANT DAILY
 STUDENT CONTACT ARE EQUIPPED WITH PERSONAL  SAFETY  ALARMS.  THE  SUPER-
 INTENDENT  SHALL  SET MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND FUNC-
 TIONALITY OF SUCH PERSONAL SAFETY ALARMS INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED  TO,
 THE  ALERT  SYSTEM  ESTABLISHED  BETWEEN  EACH  DISTRICT AND THEIR LOCAL
 POLICE DEPARTMENT, FIRE STATION AND  MEDICAL  ASSISTANCE  PROVIDER.  FOR
 PURPOSES  OF THIS SECTION, A "PERSONAL SAFETY ALARM" SHALL MEAN A WEARA-
 BLE DEVICE THAT ONCE ACTIVATED, BY THE PRESSING OF AN EMERGENCY  BUTTON,
 SHALL ALERT FIRST RESPONDERS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO POLICE, FIRE-
 FIGHTERS AND MEDICAL ASSISTANCE, OF AN EMERGENCY.
   §  2.  Section  305  of  the  education law is amended by adding a new
 subdivision 57 to read as follows:
   57. A. THE COMMISSIONER, IN CONSULTATION WITH  THE  SUPERINTENDENT  OF
 STATE  POLICE,  SHALL  PROMULGATE  RULES  AND REGULATIONS TO REQUIRE THE
 BOARD OF EDUCATION OR TRUSTEES OF EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE STATE  TO
 PROVIDE  FOR  THE  USE BY, AND DISTRIBUTION OF PERSONAL SAFETY ALARMS TO
 TEACHERS AND OTHER SCHOOL PERSONNEL WHO HAVE SIGNIFICANT  DAILY  STUDENT
 CONTACT.
   B.  FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, A "PERSONAL SAFETY ALARM" SHALL MEAN
 A WEARABLE DEVICE THAT ONCE ACTIVATED, BY THE PRESSING OF  AN  EMERGENCY
 BUTTON,  SHALL  ALERT  FIRST  RESPONDERS,  INCLUDING  BUT NOT LIMITED TO
 POLICE, FIREFIGHTERS AND MEDICAL ASSISTANCE, OF AN EMERGENCY.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD14926-01-8

 S. 7816                             2
 
   C. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL  SUBMIT  AN  ANNUAL  REPORT  CONTAINING  THE
 AMOUNT  OF  DISTRIBUTED PERSONAL SAFETY ALARMS BY SCHOOL DISTRICT TO THE
 SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY AND THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE.
   §  3.  Section  3602  of  the education law is amended by adding a new
 subdivision 19 to read as follows:
   19. IN ADDITION TO THE APPORTIONMENTS PAYABLE  TO  A  SCHOOL  DISTRICT
 PURSUANT  TO  THIS  SECTION,  THE  COMMISSIONER  IS HEREBY AUTHORIZED TO
 APPORTION TO ANY SCHOOL DISTRICT ADDITIONAL AID PURSUANT TO THIS  SUBDI-
 VISION  FOR  ITS APPROVED EXPENDITURES IN THE BASE YEAR FOR THE PURCHASE
 OF PERSONAL SAFETY ALARMS.  THE COMMISSIONER SHALL ANNUALLY PRESCRIBE  A
 SPECIAL  COST ALLOWANCE FOR SUCH PERSONAL SAFETY ALARMS AND THE APPROVED
 EXPENDITURES SHALL NOT EXCEED SUCH COST ALLOWANCE.
   § 4. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day  after  it  shall
 have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or
 repeal  of  any  rule  or regulation necessary for the implementation of
 this act on its effective date are authorized to be made  and  completed
 on or before such effective date.

2017-S7816A (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Rules
Law Section:: Executive Law
Laws Affected:: Add §214-f, Exec L; amd §§305 & 3602, Ed L

2017-S7816A (ACTIVE) - Summary

Relates to authorizing certain school personnel to wear personal safety alarms, a wearable device that once activated, by the pressing of an emergency button, alerts first responders of an emergency.

2017-S7816A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S7816A

SPONSOR: RITCHIE
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the executive law and the education law, in relation to
authorizing certain school personnel to wear personal safety alarms

 
PURPOSE:

To establish a school safety program that, at each school district's
discretion, will provide teachers and other school personnel who have
significant contact with students with personal safety alarms to be used
in emergency situations

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section one amends the executive law, creating a new section 214-f to
establish a program which will allow school districts, at local option,
to opt into the program and equip teachers and other school personnel
who have daily contact with students, with personal safety alarms to be

used in cases of emergency.

Section two amends the education law, section 305, to have the commis-
sioner of education to promulgate rules and regulations to provide for
the distribution of safety buttons to teachers and other personnel who
interact with students; also defines "personal safety alarm" and calls
for an annual report from the Commissioner of Education regarding the
distribution of the alarms.

Section three amends the education law, section 3602, to make the cost
of the safety buttons an aidable expense.

Section four provides the effective date.

 
EXISTING LAW:

Existing New York state law does not provide for personal safety alarms
for teachers or other school personnel

 
JUSTIFICATION:

The safety of our children, especially when they are at school, must be
our top priority.  One way to enhance the security of our classrooms and
our children, is to provide every teacher with a very simple device - a
wearable, personal safety alarm which can be instantly used to alert
school administrators in the event of an emergency.

This simple device could be used not only during the tragedy of an
active school shooting situation, but also in cases of medical emergen-
cies, fights or other types of violence in classrooms.  Teachers often
witness violence but may not have the ability to intervene or signal for
help without putting themselves in danger.  Establishing a safer envi-
ronment by providing an easy method for teachers to signal for help with
safety buttons is a starting point to help reduce everyday violence.
Such safety devices can be integrated into existing school security
systems to provide an increase in safety of teachers and students.


While this is a simple device, in stressful, emergency situations, time
is of the essence, and a simple device like a safety button can be much
more effective than expecting a teacher to struggle with more compli-
cated technology like navigating an app on a smartphone, or having to
remember an intercom button sequence.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined. Provides for the purchase of personal safety buttons
to be an aidable expense

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it becomes law, provided
that effective immediately, the addition, amendment or repeal of any
rule or regulation necessary for implementation be completed before the
effective date.

2017-S7816A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  7816--A
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 28, 2018
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. RITCHIE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to  the  Committee  on  Finance  --  committee
   discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
   to said committee
 
 AN  ACT to amend the executive law and the education law, in relation to
   authorizing certain school personnel to wear personal safety alarms

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 214-f
 to read as follows:
   § 214-F. SCHOOL SAFETY. THE SUPERINTENDENT, IN CONSULTATION  WITH  THE
 COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION, SHALL ESTABLISH A SCHOOL SAFETY PROGRAM, THAT
 SCHOOL  DISTRICTS  MAY  OPT  INTO AT LOCAL OPTION, IN WHICH TEACHERS AND
 OTHER SCHOOL PERSONNEL WHO HAVE SIGNIFICANT DAILY  STUDENT  CONTACT  ARE
 EQUIPPED WITH PERSONAL SAFETY ALARMS. THE SUPERINTENDENT SHALL SET MINI-
 MUM  REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND FUNCTIONALITY OF SUCH PERSONAL
 SAFETY ALARMS INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO,  THE  ALERT  SYSTEM  ESTAB-
 LISHED  BETWEEN  EACH  DISTRICT  AND THEIR LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENT, FIRE
 STATION AND MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDER. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, A
 "PERSONAL SAFETY ALARM" SHALL MEAN A WEARABLE  DEVICE  THAT  ONCE  ACTI-
 VATED, BY THE PRESSING OF AN EMERGENCY BUTTON, SHALL ALERT FIRST RESPON-
 DERS,  INCLUDING  BUT  NOT  LIMITED  TO POLICE, FIREFIGHTERS AND MEDICAL
 ASSISTANCE, OF AN EMERGENCY.
   § 2. Section 305 of the education law  is  amended  by  adding  a  new
 subdivision 57 to read as follows:
   57.  A.  THE  COMMISSIONER, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT OF
 STATE POLICE, SHALL PROMULGATE RULES AND REGULATIONS TO ALLOW THE  BOARD
 OF  EDUCATION OR TRUSTEES OF ANY SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE STATE TO PROVIDE
 FOR THE USE BY, AND DISTRIBUTION OF PERSONAL SAFETY ALARMS  TO  TEACHERS
 AND OTHER SCHOOL PERSONNEL WHO HAVE SIGNIFICANT DAILY STUDENT CONTACT.
   B.  FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, A "PERSONAL SAFETY ALARM" SHALL MEAN
 A WEARABLE DEVICE THAT ONCE ACTIVATED, BY THE PRESSING OF  AN  EMERGENCY
 BUTTON,  SHALL  ALERT  FIRST  RESPONDERS,  INCLUDING  BUT NOT LIMITED TO
 POLICE, FIREFIGHTERS AND MEDICAL ASSISTANCE, OF AN EMERGENCY.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets

                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD14926-03-8

 S. 7816--A                          2
 
   C. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL  SUBMIT  AN  ANNUAL  REPORT  CONTAINING  THE
 AMOUNT  OF  DISTRIBUTED PERSONAL SAFETY ALARMS BY SCHOOL DISTRICT TO THE
 SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY AND THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE.
   §  3.  Section  3602  of  the education law is amended by adding a new
 subdivision 19 to read as follows:
   19. IN ADDITION TO THE APPORTIONMENTS PAYABLE  TO  A  SCHOOL  DISTRICT
 PURSUANT  TO  THIS  SECTION,  THE  COMMISSIONER  IS HEREBY AUTHORIZED TO
 APPORTION TO ANY SCHOOL DISTRICT ADDITIONAL AID PURSUANT TO THIS  SUBDI-
 VISION  FOR  ITS APPROVED EXPENDITURES IN THE BASE YEAR FOR THE PURCHASE
 OF PERSONAL SAFETY ALARMS.  THE COMMISSIONER SHALL ANNUALLY PRESCRIBE  A
 SPECIAL  COST ALLOWANCE FOR SUCH PERSONAL SAFETY ALARMS AND THE APPROVED
 EXPENDITURES SHALL NOT EXCEED SUCH COST ALLOWANCE.
   § 4. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day  after  it  shall
 have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or
 repeal  of  any  rule  or regulation necessary for the implementation of
 this act on its effective date are authorized to be made  and  completed
 on or before such effective date.

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Senate Bill S7816

Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Rules Committee

Actions

Votes

May 30, 2018 - Finance Committee Vote

Finance Committee Vote: May 30, 2018

Bill Amendments

2017-S7816 - Details

2017-S7816 - Summary

2017-S7816 - Sponsor Memo

2017-S7816 - Bill Text download pdf

2017-S7816A (ACTIVE) - Details

2017-S7816A (ACTIVE) - Summary

2017-S7816A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2017-S7816A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

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Senate Bill S7816

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Sponsored By

Patty Ritchie

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Rules Committee

Actions

Votes

Bill Amendments

2017-S7816 - Details

2017-S7816 - Summary

2017-S7816 - Sponsor Memo

2017-S7816 - Bill Text download pdf

2017-S7816A (ACTIVE) - Details

2017-S7816A (ACTIVE) - Summary

2017-S7816A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2017-S7816A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments