Senate Bill S654

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                    654
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              January 5, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  ORTT  --  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 providing building aid
   for school security and safety improvements
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Subdivision  6-c of section 3602 of the education law, as
 amended by chapter 1 of the laws of 2013,  paragraph  b  as  amended  by
 section  11 of part CCC of chapter 59 of the laws of 2018, is amended to
 read as follows:
   6-c. a. Building aid for metal detectors, SECURITY AND SAFETY IMPROVE-
 MENTS, and safety devices for  electrically  operated  partitions,  room
 dividers  and  doors.  In  addition  to  the apportionments payable to a
 school district pursuant to subdivision six of this section, the commis-
 sioner is hereby authorized to apportion to any  school  district  addi-
 tional  building  aid  pursuant  to  this  subdivision  for its approved
 expenditures in the base year  for  the  purchase  of  stationary  metal
 detectors,  security  cameras,  SCHOOL SECURITY AND SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS,
 AND safety devices for electrically operated partitions and room  divid-
 ers required pursuant to section four hundred nine-f of this chapter, or
 other  security  devices  approved by the commissioner that increase the
 safety of students and school personnel, provided, however,  that  funds
 apportioned  to  school  districts  pursuant  to  this section shall not
 supplant funds  for  existing  district  expenditures  or  for  existing
 contractual  obligations of the district for stationary metal detectors,
 security cameras, SCHOOL SECURITY AND SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS, AND partition
 and room divider safety devices, or security devices.  Portable or  hand
 held  metal  detectors  shall  not  be eligible for aid pursuant to this
 subdivision. Such additional aid shall equal the product of the building
 aid ratio computed for use in the current year pursuant to  paragraph  c
 of  subdivision six of this section and the actual approved expenditures
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD03414-01-3
              

 S. 654                              2
 
 incurred in the base year pursuant to this  subdivision,  provided  that
 the limitations on cost allowances prescribed by paragraph a of subdivi-
 sion six of this section shall not apply. The commissioner shall annual-
 ly  prescribe a special cost allowance for metal detectors, and security
 cameras, and the approved expenditures shall not exceed such cost allow-
 ance. The commissioner shall annually prescribe a special cost allowance
 for partition and room divider safety devices, and the approved expendi-
 tures shall not exceed such cost allowance.
   b. For projects approved by the  commissioner  authorized  to  receive
 additional building aid pursuant to this subdivision for the purchase of
 stationary  metal  detectors, security cameras or other security devices
 approved by the commissioner that increase the safety  of  students  and
 school  personnel,  provided  that  for  purposes of this paragraph such
 other security devices shall be limited to electronic  security  systems
 and  hardened  doors,  and  provided  that  for projects approved by the
 commissioner on or after the first day of July two thousand thirteen and
 [before the first day of July two thousand twenty-three] THEREAFTER such
 additional aid shall equal the product of (i)  the  building  aid  ratio
 computed for use in the current year pursuant to paragraph c of subdivi-
 sion  six  of this section plus ten percentage points, except that in no
 case shall this amount exceed one hundred percent, and (ii)  the  actual
 approved  expenditures incurred in the base year pursuant to this subdi-
 vision, provided that the limitations on cost allowances  prescribed  by
 paragraph  a  of  subdivision  six  of this section shall not apply, and
 provided further that any projects aided under this  paragraph  must  be
 included  in  a  district's  school  safety plan. The commissioner shall
 annually prescribe a special cost allowance  for  metal  detectors,  and
 security  cameras,  and  the approved expenditures shall not exceed such
 cost allowance.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.