S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
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4544
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
I N S E N A T E
February 6, 2025
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Introduced by Sens. HOYLMAN-SIGAL, ADDABBO, BAILEY, CLEARE, GIANARIS,
GOUNARDES, JACKSON, MARTINEZ, MAYER, STAVISKY -- 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 enacting the "Jack
Reid Law: Protect All Students Act"
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
the "Jack Reid Law: Protect All Students Act".
§ 2. The education law is amended by adding a new article 2-A to read
as follows:
ARTICLE 2-A
JACK REID LAW: PROTECT ALL STUDENTS ACT
SECTION 19. LEGISLATIVE INTENT.
20. DEFINITIONS.
21. BULLYING AND HARASSMENT PROHIBITED.
22. APPLICABILITY.
23. GRANT PROGRAM.
24. SEVERABILITY AND CONSTRUCTION.
§ 19. LEGISLATIVE INTENT. THE LEGISLATURE FINDS THAT STUDENTS' ABILITY
TO LEARN AND TO MEET HIGH ACADEMIC STANDARDS, AND A SCHOOL'S ABILITY TO
EDUCATE ITS STUDENTS, ARE COMPROMISED BY INCIDENTS OF HARASSMENT INCLUD-
ING BULLYING, TAUNTING OR INTIMIDATION. RECENT STUDIES HAVE SHOWN
ALARMING TRENDS RELATED TO BULLYING: FORTY PERCENT OF MIDDLE AND HIGH
SCHOOL STUDENTS HAVE BEEN CYBERBULLIED IN THEIR LIFETIME. STUDY AFTER
STUDY DEMONSTRATES THAT BULLYING IMPACTS STUDENTS' ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE,
RELATIONSHIPS, AND MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH. IT IS HEREBY DECLARED TO
BE THE POLICY OF THE STATE TO AFFORD ALL STUDENTS IN NONPUBLIC SCHOOLS
AN ENVIRONMENT FREE OF BULLYING AND HARASSMENT. THE PURPOSE OF THIS
ARTICLE IS TO FOSTER CIVILITY IN NONPUBLIC SCHOOLS AND TO PREVENT AND
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07739-02-5
S. 4544 2
PROHIBIT CONDUCT WHICH IS INCONSISTENT WITH A SCHOOL'S EDUCATIONAL
MISSION.
§ 20. DEFINITIONS. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS ARTICLE, THE FOLLOWING
TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
1. "SCHOOL PROPERTY" SHALL MEAN IN OR WITHIN ANY BUILDING, STRUCTURE,
ATHLETIC PLAYING FIELD, PLAYGROUND, PARKING LOT, OR LAND CONTAINED WITH-
IN THE REAL PROPERTY BOUNDARY LINE OF A NONPUBLIC ELEMENTARY OR SECOND-
ARY SCHOOL; OR IN OR ON A SCHOOL BUS, AS DEFINED IN SECTION ONE HUNDRED
FORTY-TWO OF THE VEHICLE AND TRAFFIC LAW.
2. "SCHOOL FUNCTION" SHALL MEAN A NONPUBLIC SCHOOL-SPONSORED EXTRA-
CURRICULAR EVENT OR ACTIVITY.
3. "HARASSMENT" AND "BULLYING" SHALL MEAN THE CREATION OF A HOSTILE
ENVIRONMENT BY CONDUCT OR BY THREATS, INTIMIDATION OR ABUSE, INCLUDING
CYBERBULLYING, THAT (A) HAS OR WOULD HAVE THE EFFECT OF UNREASONABLY AND
SUBSTANTIALLY INTERFERING WITH A STUDENT'S EDUCATIONAL PERFORMANCE,
OPPORTUNITIES OR BENEFITS, OR MENTAL, EMOTIONAL OR PHYSICAL WELL-BEING;
(B) REASONABLY CAUSES OR WOULD REASONABLY BE EXPECTED TO CAUSE A STUDENT
TO FEAR FOR THEIR PHYSICAL SAFETY; (C) REASONABLY CAUSES OR WOULD
REASONABLY BE EXPECTED TO CAUSE PHYSICAL INJURY OR EMOTIONAL HARM TO A
STUDENT; OR (D) OCCURS OFF SCHOOL PROPERTY AND CREATES, OR WOULD FORE-
SEEABLY CREATE, A RISK OF SUBSTANTIAL DISRUPTION WITHIN THE SCHOOL ENVI-
RONMENT, WHERE IT IS FORESEEABLE THAT THE CONDUCT, THREATS, INTIMIDATION
OR ABUSE MIGHT REACH SCHOOL PROPERTY. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS DEFINITION,
THE TERM "THREATS, INTIMIDATION OR ABUSE" SHALL INCLUDE VERBAL AND NON-
VERBAL ACTIONS.
4. "CYBERBULLYING" SHALL MEAN HARASSMENT OR BULLYING AS DEFINED IN
SUBDIVISION THREE OF THIS SECTION, WHERE SUCH HARASSMENT OR BULLYING
OCCURS THROUGH ANY FORM OF ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION, INCLUDING IF SUCH
CONDUCT OCCURS OFF SCHOOL PROPERTY AGAINST ANOTHER SCHOOL STUDENT.
5. "SCHOOL" SHALL MEAN ANY NONPUBLIC ELEMENTARY OR SECONDARY SCHOOL.
§ 21. BULLYING AND HARASSMENT PROHIBITED. 1. NO STUDENT SHALL BE
SUBJECTED TO HARASSMENT OR BULLYING, INCLUDING CYBERBULLYING, BY OTHER
STUDENTS ON SCHOOL PROPERTY OR AT A SCHOOL FUNCTION.
2. UPON A REPORT OF BULLYING, HARASSMENT, OR RETALIATION, THE PRINCI-
PAL OR HEAD OF SCHOOL, OR THE PRINCIPAL OR HEAD OF SCHOOL'S DESIGNEE,
MUST INVESTIGATE PROMPTLY, COMMUNICATE THEIR FINDINGS WITH THE VICTIM
AND TAKE IMMEDIATE STEPS AND APPROPRIATE FOLLOW-UP ACTION TO ENSURE THAT
SUCH CONDUCT HAS STOPPED AND ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THE STUDENT OR
STUDENTS INCLUDING RETALIATION AGAINST ANY INDIVIDUAL WHO IN GOOD FAITH
REPORTS SUCH BULLYING OR ASSISTS IN THE INVESTIGATION.
3. EVERY SCHOOL, SUBJECT TO THIS SECTION, SHALL ADOPT A WRITTEN IN
PLAIN-LANGUAGE ANTI-BULLYING AND HARASSMENT POLICY, WHICH MUST BE
PUBLISHED ON THE SCHOOL'S WEBSITE OR INTERNAL PARENT/STUDENT PORTAL AND
SHARED ANNUALLY WITH EMPLOYEES, PARENTS, AND STUDENTS. SUCH POLICY SHALL
INCLUDE BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO INFORMATION ON HOW BULLYING AND HARASSMENT
IS DEFINED, HOW INCIDENTS WILL BE REPORTED, INVESTIGATED, AND DOCU-
MENTED, AND AN AGE-APPROPRIATE PROCESS FOR NOTIFYING THE VICTIM ABOUT
THE FINAL OUTCOME OF THE INVESTIGATION.
4. SCHOOL EMPLOYEES WHO WITNESS BULLYING OR HARASSMENT, OR RECEIVE AN
ORAL OR WRITTEN REPORT OF BULLYING OR HARASSMENT, SHALL PROMPTLY NOTIFY
THE PRINCIPAL OR HEAD OF SCHOOL OR THE PRINCIPAL'S OR HEAD OF SCHOOL'S
DESIGNEE, ORALLY NOT LATER THAN ONE SCHOOL DAY AFTER SUCH SCHOOL EMPLOY-
EE WITNESSES OR RECEIVES A REPORT OF BULLYING AND HARASSMENT, AND MUST
FILE A WRITTEN REPORT WITH THE PRINCIPAL OR HEAD OF SCHOOL'S DESIGNEE
NOT LATER THAN TWO SCHOOL DAYS AFTER MAKING THE INITIAL ORAL REPORT.
S. 4544 3
§ 22. APPLICABILITY. 1. THIS SECTION SHALL NOT APPLY TO ACCUSATIONS OF
BULLYING OR HARASSMENT MADE AGAINST A SCHOOL EMPLOYEE.
2. NOTHING IN THIS SECTION IS INTENDED TO INFRINGE UPON ANY RIGHT TO
EXERCISE FREE EXPRESSION OR THE FREE EXERCISE OF RELIGION OR RELIGIOUSLY
BASED VIEWS PROTECTED UNDER THE FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE UNITED STATES
CONSTITUTION OR UNDER ARTICLE I, SECTION EIGHT OF THE NEW YORK STATE
CONSTITUTION.
§ 23. GRANT PROGRAM. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ESTABLISH A JACK REID LAW
COMPLIANCE GRANT PROGRAM TO ASSIST NONPUBLIC SCHOOLS WITH COMPLIANCE
WITH THIS SECTION OF LAW. SUCH PROGRAM SHALL PROVIDE ELIGIBLE SCHOOLS
WITH A ONE-TIME GRANT TO BE USED TO HELP SUCH SCHOOLS COMPLY WITH THIS
SECTION. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL DEVELOP AN APPLICATION PROCESS FOR
SCHOOLS TO APPLY FOR FUNDS AS WELL AS PROGRAM GUIDELINES AND ELIGIBILITY
CRITERIA. AT A MINIMUM THE PROGRAM SHALL ALLOW ELIGIBLE SCHOOLS TO APPLY
FOR UP TO FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS IN FUNDING AND SUCH FUNDING MAY BE USED
FOR, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, STAFF TRAINING, HIRING CONSULTANTS TO
ASSIST WITH DEVELOPING A SCHOOL'S BULLYING AND HARASSMENT POLICIES,
IMPLEMENTING STUDENT FOCUSED ANTI-BULLYING PROGRAMS, SUCH AS SOCIAL
EMOTIONAL LEARNING CURRICULUM, CONDUCTING A SCHOOL CLIMATE SURVEY, AND
OTHER USES AS DETERMINED BY THE DEPARTMENT.
§ 24. SEVERABILITY AND CONSTRUCTION. THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ARTICLE
SHALL BE SEVERABLE, AND IF ANY COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION DECLARES
ANY PHRASE, CLAUSE, SENTENCE OR PROVISION OF THIS ARTICLE TO BE INVALID,
OR ITS APPLICABILITY TO ANY GOVERNMENT AGENCY, PERSON OR CIRCUMSTANCE IS
DECLARED INVALID, THE REMAINDER OF THIS ARTICLE AND ITS RELEVANT APPLI-
CABILITY SHALL NOT BE AFFECTED. THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ARTICLE SHALL BE
LIBERALLY CONSTRUED TO GIVE EFFECT TO THE PURPOSES THEREOF.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
