S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7703
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              April 30, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by Sen. OBERACKER -- 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 the provision of
   transportation after 4pm by school districts in Sullivan county
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 3627-a
 to read as follows:
   §  3627-A.  TRANSPORTATION  AFTER 4PM FOR SULLIVAN COUNTY. 1. NOTWITH-
 STANDING ANY OTHER PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION TO THE CONTRARY,  FOR  THE
 TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE--TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SIX SCHOOL YEAR AND THERE-
 AFTER, EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT LOCATED IN THE COUNTY OF SULLIVAN PROVIDING
 TRANSPORTATION PURSUANT TO THIS CHAPTER SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR:
   (A) (I) PROVIDING TRANSPORTATION FOR EVERY CHILD ATTENDING A PUBLIC OR
 NONPUBLIC  SCHOOL WHO RESIDES IN AN AREA CONTAINING AT LEAST FIFTY CHIL-
 DREN WITHIN A FIVE MILE RADIUS WHO REMAINS AT THE SAME SCHOOL FOR  WHICH
 THEY  ARE  ENROLLED  FOR REGULARLY SCHEDULED ACADEMIC CLASSES FROM HALF-
 PAST NINE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING OR EARLIER UNTIL FOUR  O'CLOCK  IN  THE
 AFTERNOON OR LATER, ON WEEKDAYS;
   (II)  SUCH  TRANSPORTATION SHALL BE PROVIDED TO ALL CHILDREN ATTENDING
 GRADES KINDERGARTEN THROUGH EIGHT WHO LIVE MORE THAN TWO MILES FROM  THE
 SCHOOL, WHICH THEY LEGALLY ATTEND, AND FOR ALL CHILDREN ATTENDING GRADES
 NINE THROUGH TWELVE WHO LIVE MORE THAN THREE MILES FROM THE SCHOOL WHICH
 THEY  LEGALLY  ATTEND, AND SHALL BE PROVIDED FOR EACH SUCH PUPIL UP TO A
 DISTANCE OF FIFTEEN MILES, THE DISTANCES IN EACH CASE BEING MEASURED  BY
 THE NEAREST AVAILABLE ROUTE FROM SUCH CHILD'S HOME TO SCHOOL; OR
   (B)  REIMBURSING THE COST INCURRED BY LICENSED TRANSPORTATION CARRIERS
 PURSUANT TO CONTRACTS WITH SUCH SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR PROVIDING  TRANSPOR-
 TATION FOR THOSE CHILDREN ATTENDING PUBLIC AND NONPUBLIC SCHOOLS ATTEND-
 ING  GRADES KINDERGARTEN THROUGH EIGHT WHO LIVE MORE THAN TWO MILES FROM
 THE SCHOOL, WHICH THEY LEGALLY ATTEND, AND FOR  ALL  CHILDREN  ATTENDING
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD11361-01-5
              

 S. 7703                             2
 
 GRADES  NINE  THROUGH  TWELVE  WHO  LIVE  MORE THAN THREE MILES FROM THE
 SCHOOL WHICH THEY LEGALLY ATTEND, AND SHALL BE PROVIDED  FOR  EACH  SUCH
 PUPIL  UP  TO  A  DISTANCE  OF FIFTEEN MILES, THE DISTANCES IN EACH CASE
 BEING  MEASURED BY THE NEAREST AVAILABLE ROUTE FROM SUCH CHILD'S HOME TO
 SCHOOL.
   2. NOTHING HEREIN SHALL PROHIBIT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT FROM  REIMBURSING
 FOR  COSTS  INCURRED  FOR  CONTRACTS BETWEEN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND ANY
 ENTITY PROVIDING OR CONTRACTING FOR SUCH TRANSPORTATION SERVICE.
   3. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF LAW  TO  THE  CONTRARY,  ANY
 EXPENDITURES FOR TRANSPORTATION PROVIDED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION IN THE
 TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE--TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SIX SCHOOL YEAR AND THERE-
 AFTER AND OTHERWISE ELIGIBLE FOR TRANSPORTATION AID PURSUANT TO SUBDIVI-
 SION  SEVEN  OF  SECTION THIRTY-SIX HUNDRED TWO OF THIS ARTICLE SHALL BE
 CONSIDERED APPROVED TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES ELIGIBLE FOR  TRANSPORTATION
 AID.
   4.  NOTWITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF THIS SECTION TO THE CONTRA-
 RY, IN NO EVENT SHALL A SCHOOL DISTRICT, IN ORDER  TO  COMPLY  WITH  THE
 REQUIREMENTS  OF  THIS SECTION, BE REQUIRED TO INCUR ANY COSTS IN EXCESS
 OF THE AMOUNT ELIGIBLE FOR TRANSPORTATION AID  PURSUANT  TO  SUBDIVISION
 FOUR  OF  THIS  SECTION.  IN THE EVENT SUCH AMOUNT IS INSUFFICIENT, SUCH
 SCHOOL DISTRICT SHALL PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION SERVICES WITHIN SUCH AMOUNT
 ON AN EQUITABLE BASIS, UNTIL SUCH APPORTIONMENT IS EXHAUSTED.
   5. EACH BOARD OF EDUCATION, IN  CONSULTATION  WITH  THE  COMMISSIONER,
 SHALL  PRESCRIBE  THE  MOST  COST-EFFECTIVE  SYSTEM FOR IMPLEMENTING THE
 REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SECTION, TAKING INTO  CONSIDERATION  POLICIES  THAT
 MAXIMIZE STUDENT SAFETY FOR THE STUDENT TO BE TRANSPORTED.
   6.  THE  PARENT  OR GUARDIAN, OR ANY REPRESENTATIVE AUTHORIZED BY SUCH
 PARENT OR GUARDIAN, MAY SUBMIT  A  WRITTEN  REQUEST  FOR  TRANSPORTATION
 UNDER  THIS  SECTION,  IN THE SAME MANNER AND UPON THE SAME DATES AS ARE
 REQUIRED FOR A REQUEST FOR TRANSPORTATION PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION TWO OF
 SECTION THIRTY-SIX HUNDRED THIRTY-FIVE OF THIS ARTICLE.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the first of July  next  succeeding
 the date on which it shall have become a law.