What's happening
This bill allows school boards in very large cities to offer transportation in child safety zones and adds lack of public transportation as a safety factor.
Why it matters
Expands eligibility for safety-based transportation in the largest cities. By including school districts in cities with over one million inhabitants (such as New York City), the bill allows school boards in these densely populated urban areas to provide transportation when child safety zones are established, addressing urban-specific hazards.
Recognizes gaps in public transit as a safety issue. The bill explicitly adds the lack of available public transportation as a factor when determining whether an area is hazardous for children walking to school. This acknowledges that even in cities with extensive transit systems, some neighborhoods may lack safe, reliable options for students.
Empowers local decision-making on student safety. School boards and trustees gain clearer authority to assess and respond to local safety risks, which may include busy roads, inadequate sidewalks, or insufficient lighting, and now, insufficient public transit—allowing for more tailored and responsive transportation policies.
Potential impact on student access and equity. By considering both traditional hazards and transit availability, the bill could help reduce inequalities in school access, especially for children living in neighborhoods with limited infrastructure or transit options, potentially leading to safer commutes and improved attendance.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Expand School Bus Safety Zones
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
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History
- Referred to education
- Referred to education
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4907
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 6, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. WEPRIN -- read once and referred to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to expanding the authority of school boards and trustees of school districts to provide pupil transportation in child safety zones
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivisions 1 and 3 of section 3635-b of the education law, subdivision 1 as amended by chapter 536 of the laws of 2002 and subdivision 3 as amended by chapter 403 of the laws of 1992, are amended to read as follows:
1. This section shall apply where the board of education or trustees of a common, central, central high school, union free school district, or city school district of a city with less than one hundred twenty-five thousand inhabitants or more than one million inhabitants adopts a resolution to make transportation in child safety zones available to resident pupils for a particular school year. Such resolution shall continue in effect for subsequent school years until the board adopts a resolution providing otherwise.
3. The commissioner of transportation shall establish regulations for determination of a hazardous zone including, but not limited to, such factors as the existence or nonexistence of sidewalks or walkways, the type of road surface, width of road, footpath or sidewalk, the volume and average speed of traffic, density of population, the commercial, industrial or residential character of the area [and], the existence or nonexistence of traffic safety features such as traffic lights, street lights and traffic patrols and the lack of available public transportation. In preparing such regulations, the commissioner of transportation shall consult with the commissioners of education and motor vehicles and representatives from the state police who have traffic safety responsibilities. Such regulations shall be used by boards of education in determining whether a hazardous zone exists.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09145-01-7
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.