S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8980
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              January 9, 2018
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. SIMON -- 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".
   §  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.
   §  3.  The  education law is amended by adding a new section 3204-a to
 read as follows:
   § 3204-A. GUN VIOLENCE  PREVENTION  PROGRAM.  1.  THE  DEPARTMENT,  IN
 CONSULTATION  WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS, THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, THE DIVI-
 SION OF CRIMINAL  JUSTICE  SERVICES,  THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  ENVIRONMENTAL
 CONSERVATION  AND ANY OTHER EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, IS AUTHORIZED AND
 DIRECTED TO DEVELOP  AND  MAKE  AVAILABLE  TO  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
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
              

                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD00041-03-7

 A. 8980                             2
 
 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 TWENTY, 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.
   § 4. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it shall have become a law.