What's happening
This bill requires private schools in New York to submit safety and occupancy documents to the state before receiving funding or a BEDS code.
Why it matters
Ensures private schools meet basic safety and occupancy standards before operating or receiving state funds. , potentially improving student and staff safety and building compliance across the sector.
Requires all existing private schools to submit up-to-date certificates of occupancy and fire inspections by a set deadline (December 31, 2019). , not just new schools, closing a gap for older institutions that may have never been reviewed under current standards.
Empowers the state education commissioner with the ability to withhold reimbursement funds and revoke a school's BEDS code. if required documents are not submitted, giving the state a significant enforcement mechanism to ensure compliance.
Mandates transparency about building usage and capacity, including disclosure of all schools at a given address. , which could help prevent overcrowding and identify unregistered or non-compliant schools operating in the same facility.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Require Private School Safety Documents
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
3 Co-sponsors
4 Multi-sponsors
History
- Print number 1542a
- Amend and recommit to education
- Referred to education
- Referred to education
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Require Private School Safety Documents
In Senate Committee · Education · Sponsor Joseph A. Griffo
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1542--A
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 12, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. ZEBROWSKI, JAFFEE, MONTESANO, McDONOUGH -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. MOSLEY, PERRY, RIVERA, STECK -- read once and referred to the Committee on Education -- recommitted to the Committee on Education in accordance with Assembly Rule 3, sec. 2 -committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to requiring private schools to provide to the commissioner of education copies of their current certificate of occupancy and most recent fire safety report prior to receipt of apportionment funds or a Basis Educational Data System code
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 409-m to read as follows:
§ 409-m. Non-public school building requirements in relation to health and safety. 1. Prior to the issuance of a Basis Educational Data System (BEDS) code to a non-public school, the non-public school shall be required to submit to the commissioner, at minimum, valid copies of the following:
(a) a certificate of incorporation or a charter issued by the board of regents;
(b) a current certificate of occupancy and use issued by the municipality where the school buildings are located;
(c) a recent fire inspection completed by an eligible authority pursuant to subdivision three of section eight hundred seven-a of this title;
(d) a statement of the maximum capacity of the building being used for educational purposes as set by the local government; and
(e) a list of additional occupants at the same address that is a registered non-public school.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04302-05-8
A. 1542--A 2
2. Nothing in this section shall limit the commissioner's authority to require additional documentation from non-public schools as deemed necessary.
3. On or before December thirty-first, two thousand nineteen, all non-public schools that currently have a Basis Educational Data System (BEDS) code regardless of when it was first issued shall provide the valid copies of the items pursuant to subdivision one of this section to the department. A failure to provide these documents by December thirty-first, two thousand nineteen will result in reimbursements to the non-public school being withheld and if not received within ninety days, at the discretion of the commissioner, can result in a revocation of the school's Basis Educational Data System (BEDS) code, provided that the non-public school is afforded the right to be heard by the commissioner.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.