Senate Bill S7874

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S7874

SPONSOR: KAMINSKY
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the penal law, in relation to limiting educational
institutions ability to authorize the possession of a weapon on school
grounds

 
PURPOSE:

Requires that no educational institution shall issue written authori-
zation to carry a firearm to any person who is not primarily employed as
a school resource officer, law enforcement officer, or security guard.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends section 265.01-a of the penal law in regards to the
definition of criminal possession of a weapon on school grounds.  Under
current law, criminal possession is defined as possessing a rifle, shot-
gun, or firearm in or upon a building or grounds, used for educational
              

purposes, of any school, college, or university, except the forestry
lands, wherever located, owned and maintained by the State University of
New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, or upon a school
bus as defined in section 142 of the vehicle and traffic law, without
the written authorization of such educational institution. This act
would stipulate that no educational institution shall issue such written
authorization to any teacher, professor, administrator, or other person
who is not primarily employed as a school resource officer, law enforce-
ment officer, or security guard as defined in subsection 6 of section
89-f of the general business law, regardless of the person's employment
directly by the educational institution or by a third party that
provides school resource officers or law enforcement or security
services to the educational institution.

Section 2 is the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

In the wake of the deadly shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School, the
18th school shooting to occur in the U.S. in 2018, many have suggested
that teachers and other school employees should be trained and armed in
order to deter and prevent future shootings. If 10% to 20% of teachers
are armed, then 360,000 to 720,000 more guns would be present in
schools.

Focusing on arming teachers takes attention away from advancing real,
effective solutions, such as broadly supported gun control measures or
improved mental health treatment. Further, introducing guns into schools
create the potential for accidental shootings or other acts of violence.
Educators nationwide have decried the idea of carrying guns, as they
want to focus on educating children, which is their job. This measure
will ensure that only qualified and capable individuals - outside of the
classroom-- will legally carry guns on school grounds.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.