The New York State Senate

 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4295
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 1, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. JENSEN -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Transportation
 
 AN  ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to authorizing
   a distinctive "guardians for schools" license plate; and to amend  the
   state  finance  law,  in  relation  to  establishing the guardians for
   schools fund

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  The  vehicle  and  traffic law is amended by adding a new
 section 404-ff to read as follows:
   § 404-FF. DISTINCTIVE "GUARDIANS FOR SCHOOLS" LICENSE PLATES. 1.   ANY
 PERSON RESIDING IN THIS STATE SHALL UPON REQUEST BE ISSUED A DISTINCTIVE
 "GUARDIANS  FOR SCHOOLS" LICENSE PLATE BEARING THE PHRASE "GUARDIANS FOR
 SCHOOLS".  APPLICATION FOR SAID LICENSE PLATES SHALL BE FILED  WITH  THE
 COMMISSIONER   IN  SUCH  FORM  AND  DETAIL  AS  THE  COMMISSIONER  SHALL
 PRESCRIBE.
   2. ANY DISTINCTIVE PLATE ISSUED PURSUANT  TO  THIS  SECTION  SHALL  BE
 ISSUED IN THE SAME MANNER AS OTHER NUMBER PLATES UPON THE PAYMENT OF THE
 REGULAR  REGISTRATION FEE PRESCRIBED BY SECTION FOUR HUNDRED ONE OF THIS
 ARTICLE PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT AN ADDITIONAL ANNUAL SERVICE  CHARGE  OF
 TWENTY-FIVE DOLLARS SHALL BE CHARGED FOR SUCH PLATE. SUCH ANNUAL SERVICE
 CHARGE  SHALL  BE  DEPOSITED  PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION FOUR
 HUNDRED FOUR-OO OF THIS ARTICLE TO  THE  CREDIT  OF  THE  GUARDIANS  FOR
 SCHOOLS  FUND  ESTABLISHED  BY  SECTION  NINETY-SEVEN-ZZZZ  OF THE STATE
 FINANCE LAW, AND SHALL BE USED FOR PURPOSE OF ENSURING INCREASED SECURI-
 TY IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.  PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT ONE YEAR AFTER THE EFFEC-
 TIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION, FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS,
 OR SO MUCH THEREOF AS MAY BE AVAILABLE SHALL BE ALLOCATED FROM SUCH FUND
 TO THE DEPARTMENT TO OFFSET COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PRODUCTION OF SUCH
 LICENSE PLATE.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD03850-01-1

 A. 4295                             2
 
   § 2. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section  97-zzzz
 to read as follows:
   §  97-ZZZZ.    GUARDIANS FOR SCHOOLS FUND.   1. THERE IS HEREBY ESTAB-
 LISHED IN THE JOINT CUSTODY OF THE COMMISSIONER OF TAXATION AND  FINANCE
 AND  THE  COMPTROLLER,  A SPECIAL FUND TO BE KNOWN AS THE "GUARDIANS FOR
 SCHOOLS FUND".
   2. SUCH FUND SHALL CONSIST OF ALL REVENUES RECEIVED  PURSUANT  TO  THE
 PROVISIONS  OF  SECTION  FOUR HUNDRED FOUR-FF OF THE VEHICLE AND TRAFFIC
 LAW AND ALL OTHER MONEYS APPROPRIATED, CREDITED, OR TRANSFERRED  THERETO
 FROM ANY OTHER FUND OR SOURCE PURSUANT TO LAW. NOTHING CONTAINED IN THIS
 SECTION SHALL PREVENT THE STATE FROM RECEIVING GRANTS, GIFTS OR BEQUESTS
 FOR  THE  PURPOSES OF THE FUND AS DEFINED IN THIS SECTION AND DEPOSITING
 THEM INTO THE FUND ACCORDING TO LAW.
   3. MONEYS OF THE FUND SHALL BE EXPENDED FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF ENSUR-
 ING INCREASED SECURITY IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO,
 HELPING PAY FOR SCHOOL  RESOURCE  OFFICERS,  SECURITY  TRAINING,  MENTAL
 HEALTH  COUNSELING,  METAL  DETECTORS, SECURITY CAMERAS AND OTHER SCHOOL
 BUILDING MODIFICATIONS TO IMPROVE SCHOOL  SAFETY.  THE  COMMISSIONER  OF
 EDUCATION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK SHALL ESTABLISH GUIDELINES AND CRITE-
 RIA FOR QUALIFYING EXPENDITURES UNDER THIS SUBDIVISION AND SHALL PROMUL-
 GATE  ALL RULES AND REGULATIONS NECESSARY TO IMPLEMENT THE PROVISIONS OF
 THIS SUBDIVISION.
   4. MONEYS SHALL BE PAID OUT OF THE FUND ON THE AUDIT  AND  WARRANT  OF
 THE  STATE  COMPTROLLER ON VOUCHERS CERTIFIED OR APPROVED BY THE COMMIS-
 SIONER OF EDUCATION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
   5. ANY INCOME EARNED ON MONEYS IN THE GUARDIANS FOR SCHOOLS FUND SHALL
 BE ADDED TO AND USED FOR THE PURPOSES OF SUCH FUND.
   6. MONIES OF THE FUND SHALL BE USED SOLELY FOR THE USE OF SCHOOL SECU-
 RITY MEASURES AND MAY NOT BE DIVERTED INTO THE GENERAL FUND.
   § 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition,  amend-
 ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
 tation  of  this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and
 completed on or before such effective date.