Bill Text: NY S00654 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Provides that expenditures for school safety and security shall be eligible for building aid.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 6-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-03 - REFERRED TO EDUCATION [S00654 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-S00654-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                           654

                               2023-2024 Regular Sessions

                    IN SENATE

                                     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:

     1    Section  1.  Subdivision  6-c of section 3602 of the education law, as
     2  amended by chapter 1 of the laws of 2013,  paragraph  b  as  amended  by
     3  section  11 of part CCC of chapter 59 of the laws of 2018, is amended to
     4  read as follows:
     5    6-c. a. Building aid for metal detectors, security and safety improve-
     6  ments, and safety devices for  electrically  operated  partitions,  room
     7  dividers  and  doors.  In  addition  to  the apportionments payable to a
     8  school district pursuant to subdivision six of this section, the commis-
     9  sioner is hereby authorized to apportion to any  school  district  addi-
    10  tional  building  aid  pursuant  to  this  subdivision  for its approved
    11  expenditures in the base year  for  the  purchase  of  stationary  metal
    12  detectors,  security  cameras,  school security and safety improvements,
    13  and safety devices for electrically operated partitions and room  divid-
    14  ers required pursuant to section four hundred nine-f of this chapter, or
    15  other  security  devices  approved by the commissioner that increase the
    16  safety of students and school personnel, provided, however,  that  funds
    17  apportioned  to  school  districts  pursuant  to  this section shall not
    18  supplant funds  for  existing  district  expenditures  or  for  existing
    19  contractual  obligations of the district for stationary metal detectors,
    20  security cameras, school security and safety improvements, and partition
    21  and room divider safety devices, or security devices.  Portable or  hand
    22  held  metal  detectors  shall  not  be eligible for aid pursuant to this
    23  subdivision. Such additional aid shall equal the product of the building
    24  aid ratio computed for use in the current year pursuant to  paragraph  c
    25  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

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