The New York State Senate

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

                                   848

                       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  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

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

                                                           LBD01800-01-9

S. 848                              2

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
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-TWO, 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.