What's happening
This bill clarifies and expands the authority of the Greenburgh North Castle Union Free School District to lease properties at additional locations for instructional purposes, and validates prior leases outside district boundaries.
Why it matters
Increases flexibility for the school district. By specifically naming new properties (including ones outside the usual district boundaries), the bill enables Greenburgh North Castle Union Free School District to secure more instructional space, which can help address overcrowding, specialized program needs, or access to facilities not available within district limits.
Retroactively legalizes previous lease actions. The bill validates and confirms the district’s prior lease of property at 45 East Gainsborg Avenue, protecting the district from potential legal or financial challenges related to operating outside its boundaries before this law change.
Expands educational reach beyond traditional borders. Allowing the district to lease and operate instructional facilities in different municipalities (including another county) could enhance access for students who need alternative or special education services, and sets a precedent for cross-boundary educational collaboration.
Clarifies regulatory oversight. The continued requirement for New York State Education Department approval ensures that expanded leasing powers remain subject to state-level checks, balancing local flexibility with broader public accountability.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Let School District Lease Buildings
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Signed chap.264
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.606
- Substituted for A7583A
- Referred to education
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 63–0
- Ordered to third reading cal.1573
- Committee discharged and committed to rules
- 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.
Let School District Lease Properties
Assembly Floor Calendar · Sponsor Thomas Abinanti
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6462
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
May 23, 2017
Introduced by Sen. STEWART-COUSINS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend chapter 118 of the laws of 1969, relating to a separate union free school district in the town of Greenburgh in the county of Westchester, in relation to clarifying the authority of the Greenburgh North Castle Union Free School District to lease certain properties; and to repeal section 2-a of chapter 118 of the laws of 1969, relating to a separate union free school district in the town of Greenburgh in the county of Westchester
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 2-a of chapter 118 of the laws of 1969, relating to a separate union free school district in the town of Greenburgh in the county of Westchester, as added by chapter 224 of the laws of 2010, is amended to read as follows:
§ 2-a. Notwithstanding any other law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, in addition to the powers granted by section two of this act, subject to the approval of the New York state education department, the board of education shall be authorized to lease properties located at 108 Shonnard Place in the city of Yonkers, county of Westchester, [and] at 1700 Old Orchard Place in the village of Valhalla, and at 45 East Gainsborg Avenue in the village of West Harrison, county of Westchester, and properties located at 623 Blooming Grove Turnpike, in the town of New Windsor, county of Orange for the purpose of providing instruction to students enrolled in [the] such school [district] districts.
§ 2. Section 2-a of chapter 118 of the laws of 1969, relating to a separate union free school district in the town of Greenburgh in the county of Westchester, as added by chapter 226 of the laws of 2010, is REPEALED.
§ 3. The actions of the board of education of the Greenburgh North Castle union free school district in entering into a lease of properties
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10915-06-7
S. 6462 2
located at 45 East Gainsborg Avenue in the village of West Harrison, county of Westchester, prior to the effective date of this act are hereby ratified, validated and confirmed notwithstanding its location outside of the school district boundaries.
§ 4. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend chapter 118 of the laws of 1969, relating to a separate union free school district in the town of Greenburgh in the county of Westchester, in relation to clarifying the authority of the Greenburgh North Castle Union Free School District to lease certain properties; and to repeal section 2-a of chapter 118 of the laws of 1969, relating to a separate union free school district in the town of Greenburgh in the county of Westchester
Purpose or general idea of bill
This legislation will authorize the Greenburgh North Castle union free school district to continue leasing property outside of district boundaries for the purpose of providing instruction to students in the Green-burgh North Castle Union Free School District.
Summary of provisions
Sections 1 of the bill amends section 2-a of chapter 118 of the laws of 1969, relating to a separate union free school district in the town of Greenburgh, county of Westchester, as added by chapter 224 of the laws of 2010, to authorize the Greenburgh North Castle union free school district board of education, subject to the approval of the New York State education department, to lease property located at 45 East Gainsborg Avenue in the village of West Harrison in Westchester County, for the purpose of providing instruction to students enrolled in the school district.
Section 2 states that Section 2-a of chapter 118 of the laws of 1969, relating to a separate union free school district in the town of Greenburgh in the county of Westchester, as added by chapter 226 of the laws of 2010, is repealed.
Section 3 provides that the actions of the board of education regarding lease arrangements at the site in West Harrison are ratified and validated notwithstanding its location outside the boundaries of the school district.
Section 4 is the effective date.
Justification
The Greenburgh North Castle Union Free School District (the "District") is a special act district that currently operates programs to serve special needs students. In 2011, the District opened the REACH Program, commonly referred to as the REACH Academy, in West Harrison which now serves approximately 68 students. Since the present location is outside of the District's physical boundaries, the authorization to lease space for the REACH Academy has been secured through a yearly approval process by the State Education Department. This legislation will authorize the District, subject to the approval of the State Education Department to continue providing these important student services without interruption for the duration of the lease.
Legislation authorizing the District to lease space outside the District's properties for its program was previously approved in 2010 (A.8871-C/S.1789).
Legislation authorizing the District to lease the space which is the subject of this legislation was vetoed by the Governor in 2013 since the legislation also included language that would have expanded the school district boundaries to include the leased premises (A.6721- WS.5829). The Governor's veto memo clearly stated that authority to lease and utilize property outside the district's boundaries had been granted in the past for this school and other special act schools but the expansion of its boundaries would have a fiscal impact that should take place in the context of the budget.
This legislation will only authorize the District, subject to the approval of the State Education Department, to lease the property for the continuation of its school services.
Prior legislative history
New bill.
Fiscal implications for state and local governments
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.