Assembly Bill A10598

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   10598
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               June 20, 2024
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  COMMITTEE  ON  RULES -- (at request of M. of A. Solages,
   K. Brown) -- read once and referred to the Committee on Education
 
 AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to creating substance use
   prevention and recovery resource materials for schools
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section  1.  Subdivision  4  of  section  804 of the education law, as
 amended by chapter 390 of the laws  of  2016,  is  amended  to  read  as
 follows:
   4.  (A)  Instruction  regarding  alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs, in
 addition to continued health guidance in the junior high  school  grades
 and  the  senior  high  schools, shall be an integral part of a required
 health education course at each of these levels in the secondary schools
 curriculum. Students shall be required to demonstrate knowledge  in  the
 subject area through the use of a test, graded project or report, or any
 other  means  prescribed  by  the  school authorities regarding alcohol,
 drugs, and tobacco. Any such course shall be taught by teachers  holding
 a  certificate  to teach health. Related courses in the secondary school
 curriculum shall be taught in a manner supportive  of  health  education
 regarding  alcohol,  tobacco,  and other drugs. In addition, instruction
 regarding the dangers of driving while under the influence of alcohol or
 drugs shall be an integral part of a required health education course in
 the senior high schools. Such  instruction  shall  be  provided  in  all
 senior  high  schools  whether  or not these schools also provide driver
 education courses.
   (B) INSTRUCTION REGARDING ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, AND OTHER DRUGS  MAY  ALSO
 INCLUDE  SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION AND RECOVERY RESOURCE MATERIALS DEVEL-
 OPED AND UPDATED ANNUALLY BY THE COMMISSIONER IN CONSULTATION  WITH  THE
 OFFICE  OF  ADDICTION  SERVICES AND SUPPORTS. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL, IN
 DEVELOPING THE SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION AND RECOVERY RESOURCE MATERIALS,
 USE EFFECTIVE, RESEARCH-PROVEN, INTERACTIVE TEACHING METHODS  AND  TECH-
 NOLOGIES.  SUCH  RESOURCE  MATERIALS SHALL BE DISTRIBUTED TO EACH SCHOOL
 DISTRICT WITHIN THE STATE AND SHALL BE MADE  AVAILABLE  ON  THE  DEPART-
 MENT'S WEBSITE. THE RESOURCE MATERIALS SHALL PROVIDE:
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD13930-01-3
 A. 10598                            2
 
   (I)  STUDENTS,  PARENTS, AND SCHOOL STAFF WITH SCIENTIFIC, SOCIAL, AND
 EMOTIONAL LEARNING CONTENT TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THE RISK OF DRUG USE.
   (II)  INFORMATION  SPECIFICALLY  TARGETING THE DANGERS OF PRESCRIPTION
 PAIN MEDICATION AND HEROIN ABUSE.
   (III) GUIDANCE FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND  EDUCATORS  REGARDING  STUDENT
 INSTRUCTION IN THE TOPICS OF SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION AND RECOVERY AT AN
 AGE AND DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE LEVEL.
   (IV)  AGE-APPROPRIATE,  COMPREHENSIVE,  REALITY-BASED, SAFETY-FOCUSED,
 MEDICALLY  ACCURATE  AND  EVIDENCE-INFORMED  INFORMATION  THAT   REDUCES
 SUBSTANCE USE RISK FACTORS AND PROMOTES PROTECTIVE FACTORS.
   (V)  INFORMATION  ABOUT  WHERE  TO  LOCATE STORIES AND PERSPECTIVES OF
 PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCES FOR INCORPORATION INTO CLASSROOM  INSTRUC-
 TION.
   (VI)  RESOURCES  REGARDING  HOW  TO  MAKE SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION AND
 RECOVERY INSTRUCTION INTERACTIVE AT EACH GRADE LEVEL.
   (VII) INFORMATION ON HOW SCHOOL DISTRICTS MAY INVOLVE  PARENTS,  CARE-
 GIVERS,  TEACHERS,  HEALTHCARE  PROVIDERS,  AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN THE
 INSTRUCTIONAL PROCESS.
   (VIII) WAYS TO CREATE INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS THAT  ARE  REPRESENTATIVE
 OF  DIVERSE  DEMOGRAPHIC GROUPS AND APPROPRIATE FOR EACH AGE, GRADE, AND
 CULTURE REPRESENTED IN CLASSROOMS IN THIS STATE.
   (IX) RESOURCES THAT REFLECT THE PREVENTION CONTINUUM FROM UNIVERSAL TO
 SELECTED TACTICS THAT ADDRESS YOUNG PEOPLE'S SUBSTANCE USE, AND  CURRENT
 AND PROJECTED SUBSTANCE USE AND OVERDOSE TRENDS.
   (X)  RESOURCES  THAT  REFLECT  THE  IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION FOR YOUTH,
 THEIR FAMILIES, AND THEIR COMMUNITY ABOUT:
   (A) SUBSTANCE TYPES,  THE  SUBSTANCE  USE  CONTINUUM,  THE  IMPACT  OF
 SUBSTANCES  ON THE BRAIN AND BODY, AND CONTRIBUTING FACTORS THAT LEAD TO
 SUBSTANCE USE, SUCH AS UNDERLYING CO-OCCURRING HEALTH ISSUES AND TRAUMA.
   (B) THE HISTORY OF DRUGS AND HEALTH POLICY IN THIS STATE AND THE COUN-
 TRY, THE IMPACT OF ZERO TOLERANCE, AND RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PRACTICES.
   (C) RISK MITIGATION  AND  HARM  REDUCTION,  INCLUDING  ABSTINENCE  AND
 RESPONDING  TO AN OVERDOSE WITH THE USE OF OPIOID ANTAGONISTS AND FENTA-
 NYL TEST STRIPS.
   (D) ADDRESSING ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES, SUCH AS  WITNESSING  AND
 EXPERIENCING  VIOLENCE,  ABUSE,  CAREGIVER LOSS, AND OTHER TRAUMA, ESPE-
 CIALLY AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE OF COLOR.
   (E) THE SOCIAL AND HEALTH INEQUITIES AMONG RACIAL AND  ETHNIC  MINORI-
 TIES.
   (F) STRATEGIES AND RESOURCES FOR COPING WITH STRESS, TRAUMA, SUBSTANCE
 USE,  AND  OTHER  RISKY BEHAVIOR IN NON-PUNITIVE WAYS TO HELP ONESELF OR
 OTHERS.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the first of July  next  succeeding
 the date on which it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the
 addition,  amendment  and/or  repeal of any rule or regulation necessary
 for the implementation of this act on its effective date are  authorized
 to be made and completed on or before such effective date.