Relates to notice of requirements for use of school property by outside organizations

Title of bill

An act to amend the education law, in relation to requirements for use of school property by outside organizations

Purpose or general idea of bill

This amends the statute to state explicitly that meetings of parent or parent teacher associations at schools must be open to the public.

Summary of specific provisions

The bill amends Education Law §414 to 1) identify meetings of parent and parent teacher associations as civic meetings and therefore open to the public and 2) require school districts to give outside organizations which use school property for meetings or events written notice about the open meetings requirement.

Justification

Although current law requires civic, social and recreational meetings at schools to be non-exclusive and open to the public, some parent and parent teacher associations have closed their meetings or excluded members of the public from those meetings. This bill there fore makes clear that parent or parent teacher associations fall within the scope of the education law which requires that meetings for a civic purpose or for a purpose pertaining to the welfare of the community be open to the public. There will then be no doubt that parent or parent teacher association meetings must be open to the public. The Department of State Committee on Open Government came to the same conclusion in a 1999 advisory opinion in response to a constituent query about her ability to attend a PTA meeting.

To make sure that all organizations which meet or hold events on school property know about the open meetings requirement of the education law, this bill calls on school boards to provide written information about the law to all organizations which sponsor meetings, entertainments or other events at the schools.

Prior legislative history

New bill.

Fiscal implications

None.

Effective date

This act shall take effect immediately.