What's happening
This bill allows school districts to exceed tax levy limits for expenses related to safety measures and protection from violent incidents.
Why it matters
School districts could allocate more funds for safety measures. including hiring security personnel, conducting safety training, making infrastructure upgrades, and purchasing security devices—without being constrained by existing tax levy caps.
Direct response to violent incidents or emergencies. the bill ties extra spending to definitions of “serious violent incident” and similar emergencies under state regulations, aiming to ensure that increased funding targets genuine safety needs rather than unrelated expenses.
Potential for higher local taxes. while intended for safety, this exception could result in increased property taxes for residents, as districts may raise levies to cover these new, uncapped security expenditures.
Shifts local decision-making and accountability. by allowing these exemptions, the bill gives school boards more flexibility to address community safety concerns, but may also spark debate on what constitutes a necessary or effective security measure.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Exclude School Safety from Tax Cap
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 55
History
- 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.
Lift Cap on School Safety Spending
In Assembly Committee · Education · Sponsor Aileen Gunther
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1255
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 6, 2017
Introduced by Sens. FUNKE, BONACIC, 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 tax levy limits of school districts
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subparagraphs (iii) and (iv) of paragraph i of subdivision 2 of section 2023-a of the education law are renumbered subparagraphs (iv) and (v) and a new subparagraph (iii) is added to read as follows:
(iii) a tax levy necessary for expenditures to ensure adequate safety and protection from a serious violent incident or similar emergency, as such terms are defined in Part 155.17 of the regulations promulgated by the commissioner, which may include, but are not limited to, expenditures for security personnel, safety training or instruction, infrastructure improvements to improve safety and security, and the acquisition of security devices or other safety equipment;
§ 2. Paragraph (a) of subdivision 6 of section 2023-a of the education law, as added by section 2 of part A of chapter 97 of the laws of 2011, is amended to read as follows:
(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, in the event the trustee, trustees or board of education of a school district that is subject to the provisions of this section proposes a budget that will require a tax levy that exceeds the tax levy limit for the corresponding school year, not including any levy necessary to support the expenditures pursuant to subparagraphs (i) through [(iv)] (v) of paragraph i of subdivision two of this section, then such budget shall be approved if sixty percent of the votes cast thereon are in the affirmative.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately; provided that the amendments made to section 2023-a of the education law by sections one and two of this act shall not affect the repeal of such section and shall be deemed repealed therewith.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03028-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the education law, in relation to tax levy limits of school districts
Purpose
To ensure adequate protection and safety of children, teachers and other school personnel by encouraging school districts to make certain improvements to school buildings.
Summary of provisions
Sections 1 and 2 of the bill amend section 2023-a of the education law by adding provisions relating to expenditures that are exempt from the school district "tax cap". The new provisions exempt expenditures for safety measures such as security personnel, safety training, security devices, safety equipment and certain infrastructure improvements.
Section 3 of the bill is the effective date.
Justification
Recent events at schools across the country demand that our school districts take appropriate actions to protect our children and school personnel. As a result, improved school building infrastructure and better security measures such as safety personnel, training and equipment have become necessary expenditures.
School districts in New York are already burdened with numerous mandates and budget tightening. Nevertheless, expenditures to ensure adequate protection in the event of serious violent incidents and emergencies should not be discouraged. Under current law, investing in important security improvements are made more difficult since this type of expenditure is not exempt from the school district "tax cap". By exempting these expenditures from the tax cap, this legislation would provide some much needed relief for school districts while simultaneously encouraging appropriate security upgrades to protect our children.
Legislative history
S.3052/A.1182 of 2015-2016 S.3456/A.4843 of 2013-14; Referred to Education
Fiscal implications
None to the state.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately; provided that the amendments made to section 2023-a of the education law by sections one and two of this act shall not affect the repeal of such section and shall be deemed repealed therewith.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.