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History
- Referred to education
- Referred to education
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the education law, in relation to establishing additional criteria for library systems to obtain state aid in respect of internet access restrictions for children
Purpose or general idea of bill
This legislation would establish additional criteria for library systems to obtain state aid by requiring compliance with regulations restricting minors access to obscene and pornographic materials through the use of computers.
Summary of specific provisions
Section 1: Amends paragraph h of subdivision 1 of section 272 of the Education Law, which pertains to the minimum standards of service a public library must comply with in order to receive state aid, to include that each public library system shall develop a policy for acceptable internet use by its patrons. As part of such policy, each library shall adopt and implement measures to restrict the access of minors to pornographic or obscene materials through the use of library computers. Notice of such policy and its contents shall be posted at all internet access points and made available to all patrons. Each public library shall offer internet safety classes for children under 17 years of age. No public library shall permit any child under 17 to use an internet access terminal without the prior, written consent of a parent or guardian stating that the parent or guardian and the child have reviewed the internet use policy and agree to abide by it, except that a public library may elect to accept the completion of an internet safety class in lieu of such parental consent for a child who is at least 13 years of age but not yet 17. Furthermore, any public library having multiple internet access terminals shall set aside at least one terminal for the exclusive use of children.
Read the full memo (800 words)
Section 2: Provides for an immediate effective date.
Justification
While the recent explosion of use of internet services in homes, schools and libraries has given young people unparalleled opportunities for research and learning, it has also raised the concern of many parents and educators that children are gaining access to information that is either obscene or harmful to minors, i.e., pornographic. In school and at home, the dangers to children of exposure to inappropriate material are mitigated by parental and teacher supervision. In many public libraries, however, children are left unsupervised for long periods of time.
This lack of supervision in public libraries has become increasingly dangerous because of a new breed of computer sex offenders targeting children in popular internet chat rooms. These online predators make contact with children in chat rooms and then attempt to lure them into private conversations, ongoing correspondence and, ultimately, a personal meeting. In a recent survey of 15,000 young people, ages 10-17, one in four who have gone online reported being sent pornographic images and one in five were actually solicited for sex. Young people seldom report these incidents to their parents, however, because they are often embarrassed and fear losing their computer privileges.
Despite the growing danger to young people, public libraries in New York City and in areas around the state do not offer internet safety classes for their young patrons. Most of the internet classes in these same public libraries do not even address the topic of internet safety. Public libraries are doing a good job of teaching children to search the world wide web but not giving them even basic safety messages about the risks of giving out personal information to strangers.
This legislation directs the Commissioner of Education to include, within the regulations governing the standard of service with which public library systems must comply, a requirement that each library system establish procedures to prevent minors from gaining access to obscene or pornographic material using any computer equipment or service available for public use. Specifically, the requirement of parental consent for children under seventeen is designed to ensure that parents and children are notified of the risks and responsibilities involved with internet access. Local public libraries are given the option of accepting the completion of an internet safety class in lieu of the parental consent for a child who is at least 13 years of age but not yet 17. Designation of Internet access terminals specifically for children, already common in the New York City metropolitan area, will help library staff keep an eye on young patrons and help minimize the exposure of children to the internet use or misuse of adult library patrons.
Prior legislative history
A11516 of 2000 - Referred to Libraries A2096 of 2002 - Referred to Libraries A4187 of 2004 - Referred to Libraries S4600 of 2006 - Referred to Education S2240 of 2008 - Referred to Education
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.