What's happening
This bill creates a "guardians for schools" license plate, with fees funding public school security measures in New York.
Why it matters
Creates a dedicated funding stream for school security. The bill ensures that all proceeds from the new license plate, along with any gifts or grants, are placed in a special fund that can only be used for public school safety upgrades, preventing diversion of these monies to unrelated purposes.
Covers a broad range of security measures. Funds may be used for various safety initiatives, including hiring school resource officers, providing security training, improving mental health counseling, installing metal detectors, adding security cameras, and making building modifications—potentially addressing both physical and behavioral aspects of school safety.
Oversight and accountability in spending. The New York State Commissioner of Education is responsible for setting guidelines on how the money is spent and for certifying expenditures, which could help ensure that funds are used effectively and according to established priorities.
Allows for community involvement. By enabling individuals to contribute through purchasing the license plate, and by accepting gifts and grants, the bill gives the broader public a way to directly support school safety efforts in their communities.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Create School Security License Plate
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Referred to transportation
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 56–4
- Ordered to third reading cal.557
- Committee discharged and committed to rules
- Referred to transportation
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.
Create School Security Plates
In Assembly Committee · Transportation · Sponsor Peter Lawrence
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
7847
IN SENATE
March 2, 2018
Introduced by Sens. TEDISCO, FELDER, GOLDEN, SEWARD -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to authorizing a distinctive "guardians for schools" license plate; and to amend the state finance law, in relation to establishing the guardians for schools fund
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new section 404-ee to read as follows:
§ 404-ee. Distinctive "guardians for schools" license plates. 1. Any person residing in this state shall upon request be issued a distinctive "guardians for schools" license plate bearing the phrase "guardians for schools". Application for said license plates shall be filed with the commissioner in such form and detail as the commissioner shall prescribe.
2. Any distinctive plate issued pursuant to this section shall be issued in the same manner as other number plates upon the payment of the regular registration fee prescribed by section four hundred one of this article provided, however, that an additional annual service charge of twenty-five dollars shall be charged for such plate. Such annual service charge shall be deposited pursuant to the provisions of section four hundred four-oo of this article to the credit of the guardians for schools fund established by section ninety-seven-yyyy of the state finance law, and shall be used for purpose of ensuring increased security in public schools. Provided, however, that one year after the effective date of this section, funds in the amount of five thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be available shall be allocated from such fund to the department to offset costs associated with the production of such license plate.
§ 2. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section 97-yyyy to read as follows:
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14994-03-8
S. 7847 2
§ 97-yyyy. Guardians for schools fund. 1. There is hereby established in the joint custody of the commissioner of taxation and finance and the comptroller, a special fund to be known as the "guardians for schools fund".
2. Such fund shall consist of all revenues received pursuant to the provisions of section four hundred four-ee of the vehicle and traffic law and all other moneys appropriated, credited, or transferred thereto from any other fund or source pursuant to law. Nothing contained in this section shall prevent the state from receiving grants, gifts or bequests for the purposes of the fund as defined in this section and depositing them into the fund according to law.
3. Moneys of the fund shall be expended for the sole purpose of ensuring increased security in public schools, including, but not limited to, helping pay for school resource officers, security training, mental health counseling, metal detectors, security cameras and other school building modifications to improve school safety. The commissioner of education of the state of New York shall establish guidelines and criteria for qualifying expenditures under this subdivision and shall promulgate all rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this subdivision.
4. Moneys shall be paid out of the fund on the audit and warrant of the state comptroller on vouchers certified or approved by the commissioner of education of the state of New York.
5. Any income earned on moneys in the guardians for schools fund shall be added to and used for the purposes of such fund.
6. Monies of the fund shall be used solely for the use of school security measures and may not be diverted into the general fund.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made on or before such effective date.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to authorizing a distinctive "guardians for schools" license plate; and to amend the state finance law, in relation to establishing the guardians for schools fund
Purpose
To create a distinctive plate that reads "Guardians for Schools" in order to create a source of funding to help our school districts pay for the expense of improving school safety.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 - Amends the vehicle and traffic law to create a distinctive "guardians for schools" license plate. An additional service fee of $25 shall be charged for such plates and funds collected shall be used for ensuring increased security in public schools; provided that one year after the effective date of this section $5,000 (or so much thereof as may be available) shall be allotted to offset the cost of such plates.
Section 2 - Establishes the Guardians for Schools Fund under joint custody of the Commissioner of Taxation and Finance and the comptroller. Also mandates the money collected be used only for increased security in public schools.
Justification
While the New York State Safe Schools Initiative set out to ensure effective school safety strategies, many of our districts lack the resources to implement a plan that adequately addresses security concerns. The "Guardians for Schools" license plate will give millions of caring and concerned New Yorkers the ability to take part in a state- wide effort to keep our children safe from violence while raising money to help pay for school resource officers, security training at our schools, mental health counseling, metal detectors, security cameras and other school building modifications to improve school safety.
Legislative history
New Bill
Fiscal implications
None
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made on or before such effective date.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.