The New York State Senate

                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                   852

                       2019-2020 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                             January 9, 2019
                               ___________

Introduced  by Sen. BENJAMIN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
  printed to be committed to the Committee on Education

AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing  a  pilot
  program  for  peace/conflict resolution centers; and providing for the
  repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section  1.  Title  1  of the education law is amended by adding a new
article 25 to read as follows:
                                ARTICLE 25
                        PEACE/CONFLICT RESOLUTION
                          CENTERS PILOT PROGRAM
SECTION 1220. PEACE/CONFLICT RESOLUTION CENTERS PILOT PROGRAM.
  § 1220.  PEACE/CONFLICT  RESOLUTION  CENTERS  PILOT  PROGRAM.  1.  THE
COMMISSIONER  SHALL  ESTABLISH A PILOT PROGRAM TO PROVIDE PEACE/CONFLICT
RESOLUTION CENTERS  WITHIN  SCHOOL  DISTRICTS.  THE  COMMISSIONER  SHALL
SELECT  UP TO FIVE SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PILOT PROGRAM,
PROVIDED AT LEAST ONE CENTER ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION  SHALL
BE  LOCATED  IN  A  CITY  WITH A POPULATION OF ONE MILLION OR MORE.  THE
PILOT PROGRAM SHALL BEGIN WITH THE  TWO  THOUSAND  TWENTY--TWO  THOUSAND
TWENTY-ONE SCHOOL YEAR.
  2.  TO  BE  CONSIDERED  FOR THE PILOT PROGRAM, A SCHOOL DISTRICT SHALL
SUBMIT A PROPOSAL TO THE COMMISSIONER  WITH  THE  GOAL  OF  FACILITATING
PEACEFUL  RESOLUTIONS  TO  STUDENT  CONFLICTS,  AND  INCLUDE  METHODS TO
ACHIEVE THE FOLLOWING GOALS: (A) PROVIDE FOR THE SUPERVISED  PEER  MEDI-
ATION OF CONFLICTS; (B) DEVELOP PUPIL LEADERSHIP SKILLS; AND (C) PROMOTE
PEACEFUL  ATMOSPHERES IN SCHOOLS AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES.  NOTH-
ING IN THIS ARTICLE SHALL PREVENT A  PROPOSAL  FOR  A  COLLABORATION  TO
PROVIDE SUCH SERVICES IN COLLABORATION WITH BOARDS OF COOPERATIVE EDUCA-
TIONAL  SERVICES.  EACH PEACE/CONFLICT RESOLUTION SHALL BE AUTHORIZED TO
OPERATE FOR AT LEAST TWO FULL SCHOOL YEARS.

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                           LBD06073-01-9

S. 852                              2

  3. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL SUBMIT AN ANNUAL REPORT ON  OR  BEFORE  JULY
THIRTY-FIRST,  TWO  THOUSAND TWENTY AND ON OR BEFORE THE SAME DATE EVERY
YEAR THEREAFTER TO THE GOVERNOR AND THE LEGISLATURE. SUCH  REPORT  SHALL
INCLUDE,  BUT  NOT  BE  LIMITED TO, THE NUMBER OF CASES AND RESOLUTIONS,
DETAILS  ON  THE  SUBJECT MATTER OF THE CASES, THE COMMISSIONER'S EVALU-
ATION OF THE RESULTS OF THE PILOT PROGRAM  AND  LEGISLATIVE  RECOMMENDA-
TIONS  ON  WHETHER  TO  CONTINUE,  EXPAND  OR  MAKE CHANGES TO THE PILOT
PROGRAM.
  4. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL PROMULGATE ANY RULES AND REGULATIONS  NECES-
SARY TO IMPLEMENT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ARTICLE.
  §  2.  This act shall take effect immediately, and shall expire and be
deemed repealed July 31, 2022.