Senate Bill S969

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S969

SPONSOR: YOUNG
 
TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the education law, in relation to
directing the board of trustees of the state university to include, on
every application for admission to a state-operated institution, a ques-
tion on whether the applicant has been convicted of any violent felony
offense

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

Directs the board of trustees of the state university to require appli-
cants to state-operated institutions to state whether they have been
convicted of a violent felony.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1: amends Section 355 of the Education Law by adding subdivision
17-a, to direct the board of trustees of the state university to adopt
rules providing that each application to admission to a state-operated
institution shall require the applicant to state whether he or she has
              

ever been convicted of a violent felony.

Section 2: provides that the act shall take effect immediately.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

In September 2016, the SUNY Board of Trustees eliminated the requirement
for applicants to disclose prior felony convictions on their admission
applications. As the State's foremost higher education system, SUNY is
entrusted with not only providing a quality, affordable education to
hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers, but also ensuring that students
are safe while they pursue their degree. This decision hinders their
ability to achieve that goal and potentially increases the likelihood
that they will become victims of a crime.

Screening for violent felons is a critical aspect of the application
process and is necessary to keep our students safe. Given the issues
that constantly arise on college campuses, particularly with regard to
sexual assault and rape, such screening is more necessary than ever.
Therefore, this legislation reinstates the long-standing requirement
that applicants disclose prior violent felony convictions during the
admissions process.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2017-18: S.155 Committed to Rules
2016: S.8192-A Committed to Rules

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.